Surrogate Father
by naruto10
Summary: Moseby finds Cody in an alley, raped and abused. Will he be able to rehabilitate Cody, or will Cody be cursed to a life of depression? And where's Zack in all of this madness?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclamer:** I do not own The Suite Life of Zack and Cody whatsoever. I'm just an author, trying out a story.

Summary: Moseby found Cody bloodied and raped. Taking the boy under his wing, will he be able to comfort Cody, or will Cody be cursed to a life of depression. And where's Zack in all of this madness?

This is my first ever fanfic of any kind, so enjoy, and please review.

**Moseby's POV:**

The grey and silver bus' brakes screeched to a gradual halt. Its narrow doors opened slowly, with a dull creak from the hinges. I stood up from my sit, grabbing my personal bag and walked through the littered aisle to the front of the bus. Boston was a very diverse city, and this bus showed just how varied the people were. Their eyes followed me all the way to the head of the vehicle. It's like they've never seen a hotel manager before. Managing a hotel was a full time job, but even I had enough of a life to not stay there all night, and that's where I left off.

"Have a nice day." the overweight bus driver grunted.

"You too." I smiled as I walked down the three steps and finally touched land. The bus sped off behind me, motor overworking itself to a loud whir, until it was out of hearing range. Then I began the routine walk to my house. The third turn of my everyday trot was through an alley. I was just early enough to miss the flocking of drug dealers and the very addicts that gave them their ever-popular business. The alley never seemed to be clean; liquor bottles, cigarette butts, trash bags, some full, and the occasional stray dog plagued this runway. But it was always just a quick trip through, no reason for worry. As I neared the turn, the streetlights came on. Shadows appeared on the uneven brick wall that ran into the alley. It was a person, which wasn't a common sight, at least at that particular time. Slyly peeking around the corner, I saw the very person from which the shadow belonged. A tall man, well built. His hair was cut short, a few blonde streaks tinging the brown, same color as his facial hair, which was trimmed to only a mustache. He was wearing a grey shirt, with some ilegible writing on it, along with a pair of jeans that were horribly wrinkled.

There looked to be no particular reason as to why he was standing there, unless it was another drug trade, but it was much too early for that. And then I saw it. The body of a young boy, lying prostrate before the towering man. My heart sped up immediately. As I leaned in farther around the corner for a better look, I clumsily brushed a metal trash can, knocking it over. The man's head snapped my way, I shrunk behind the corner. His shirt was soaked with blood, why hadn't I seen that earlier? One step, he was coming my way, two steps, his walk was cautious, three steps, he was nearly to the corner. I couldn't run, I couldn't speak, hell, I couldn't move in general.

"Who's out there!" he demanded. He threw a trashcan down in anger. His steps came faster now, I was in trouble. The whir of a siren blared in the distance, he ceased to progress. HIs shadowed reversed down the alley again, I breathed a sigh of relief. Again, he stopped in front of the boy.

"I'll be back for you later." he hissed, able to land a swift kick to the kid's mid-section before running off. My heart was still beating furiously, my mind was still trying to comprehend what just transpired, I couldn't even remember my own name. Taking two deep breaths, I calmed myself down and started down the alley, slowly coming towards the body that lay still. I averted my eyes, trying everything possible so that I wouldn't see that boy as I passed. But just as I was passing him, a muffled cry spilled from his mouth. My body froze, I thought he was dead, but he must've been clinging to the little essence of life still lingering in his body. Blood covered his small frame, some of it still fresh, I felt sick. This was a matter for the police, but they'd just toss him into a foster home to rot, I was going to do something about this myself. I knelt down to the boy, inspecting him in awe.

"What's your name?" my voice was quivering. At the sound of my voice, his emotionless eyes met mine. Tears were welled up in them, spilling in streams. His mouth moved slightly but no words came out at first.

"...cody..."

A/N: Well there ya go Chapter one of this long story. The story will eventually progress into a romance, but I won't say between who though.XD.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Once again, I do not own the Suite Life, if I did...well we all know what'd happen then :)

A/N: Well, here's chapter 2, not sure how many there's going to be though

**Moseby's POV:**

So his name was Cody, I was surprised to have even attained such information from him. More tears piled upon themselves, threatening to make me cry as well, but I wanted to show this boy that I was strong. He had not moved since I first laid eyes on him, must've been very uncomfortable. Just what had that man done to get him into this current state? There was no time to dwell on that subject, the sirens had died down to a low buzz, and that guy would probably be back to take the boy away, most likely to continue what he had already started. My blood boiled even at the thought of that happening, I wouldn't let it happen, no way.

My eyes fell back to the boy. He wasn't wearing any shoes, which was definitely not a good idea when trekking through this particular alley. He was laying in a puddle which had been summoned by the rain that we received the day before. The murky water was soaking his clothes, there were so many debilities available to this boy. He could catch pneumonia easily, not to mention the toxicity of the alley itself. Years of bad treatment prevented any form of plant life to grow any longer. I had to get him out of there as soon as possible, but I would only take him if he complied. Cody was going to have to want it for himself. I shakily offered my hand to him. His eyes were still searching mine, plumbing them for trust, which I truly didn't know how to eminate. Then, as though finding what he was looking for, his eyes fell to my outstretched hand. Cody's bloodied fingers twitched, but didn't advance. I couldn't blame him for being so apprehensive. It was like his whole body would break if he moved, I continued to stifle the tears that were hanging off the edge of existing. Suddenly, his left arm extended out, and his small hand connected with mine like a puzzle piece, a perfect fit. His grip was loose and cold, I expected nothing else. My heart began skipping beats, I was scared for this boy. All my life, I had strived to be strong, not to be held down by emotion, but this boy had broken down the barrier around my heart that was nearly three centuries strong. And as soon as the wall had crumbled down, Cody found his way in, into my heart.

I gently picked him up, he softly whimpered, I figured it'd be uncomfortable. His arms wrapped around me and he laid his head down on my shoulder. Now I just had to make it back to my house without anybody noticing, so with Cody secured, along with the bag I had nearly forgotten about, I continued the walk that I started earlier. It was a good thing that my house was not very far away, just about half a block. The streetlights didn't help me in being inconspicuous, but I was just trying to get to my house as soon as possible. And then I saw it, the comforting sight that I called my home. I walked up the four steps that lead to my porch and finally made my way to the door. Fumbling aimlessly in my right pocket, I found my keys and unlocked both locks on my door.

Not bothering to put my bag down, I went directly into the bathroom and turned on the faucet in the tub, being careful as to not make it too hot, even I didn't enjoy that. When the liquid climbed up to about halfway, I turned off the stream of water. I softly set Cody down on the floor and removed his shirt, whose color I didn't know, it had taken on the reddish hue that only blood can beget. As I tried for his shorts, he let back, afraid. Again, I looked into his eyes firmly.

"I'm only trying to help you, that's it." I pleaded with him. He relaxed gradually and I removed his final hinderance. I led him into the water and sat him down gently, letting him adjust to the temperature. When the blood came into contact with the warm liquid, it flowed, heavily. This turned the water into a dark crimson color, almost like Cody was bathing in pure blood. It was unnerving in a sort. I saw his eyes move, he was looking at the water, then he softly began sobbing. He probably thought he was still bleeding, and who wouldn't think that that was a bad thing? I reached into the drawer by the tub and grabbed what I assumed was the softest rag, and soaked it with water from the sink, I could do nothing with the water in the tub. And so I began to wash away the blood, washing away the pain that plagued the boy. Afterwards, I stood him up and let the red water drain and turned on the shower. I grabbed some shampoo that was situated on the little shelf that jutted out in the shower. Putting a quarter sized portion in my hand, and working it into a good lather, I began to wash the boy's hair. I was amazed with the amount of blood that came out, but it was out. The washing revealed the cutest face I had seen before, along with a good deal of blondish brown hair, he turned out to be a very handsom kid. I smiled inwardly. After I had washed him thoroughly, I helped him out of the bath and found the biggest towel I had to wrap him up with.

I couldn't find any clothes his size in my bedroom, so he was forced to wear an oversized white T-shirt from my wardrobe. He had not spoken since he had told me his name, and he didn't show any signs of doing so, and I wasn't going to make him. I too had to change my clothes that he had unknowingly gotten wet earlier. After that, I picked him up and took him into the living room. I plopped down on my couch, which I found myself sleeping on more that my bed. I grabbed the remote from the table in front of the sofa and turned on the televsion. I didn't know about Cody, but watching t.v. always took my mind off of things. And so, we sat there in silence together watching anything that happened to come on. And then...

'knock knock' somebody was at the door. I softly set Cody down on the couch and got up, walking over the hardwood floor to the door. Slowly I opened it, only to be met with the man from earlier, donned with a new set of clothes. My stomach flipped, what was he doing here?

"I lost someone--I mean something earlier, and I was just wondering if you had come across anything...strange." he was very forward. I knew what, or rather who, he was talking about.

"No, I haven't seen anything strange. What did you lose?" I played dumb. He seemed angered by my pressing.

"That none of your business! I'll get it back no matter what it takes!" he yelled at me, storming off. I closed the door behind me as I walked back into the living room, sitting next to the boy on my couch. He repositioned himself so that his head was leaning on my chest. Not too much longer from then, he was softly snoring against me.

And then, after twenty plus years of commitment, I cried. I'm not even completely sure as to why, but I cried. 'Maybe the morning would be better' I thought to myself before falling asleep as well.

A/N: Well, there it is. Chapter 2. I'm sure by now, the Kleenex box is nearly empty.(catch my drift lol) The next one should be up pretty soon. So until then...


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Suite Life of Zack and Cody (how many times do I have to say that?lol)

Thanks to all those who replied to the first couple of chapters, I appreciate it alot. So much so that I wrote the next chapter sooner than expected.

**Moseby's POV:**

I woke up that morning refreshed, maybe a good cry was beneficial every once and a while. The clock read 7:06, I needed to be back at the hotel around 9:00 or so, I had time. Cody was awake as well, I wasn't sure how long he slept though. His shirt, or rather, my shirt was wrinkled which was a commonality after sleeping a good sleep. He was watching t.v. when I came to. Maybe today would be better after all.

FIrst things first, I had to get something to eat. What better way to start off the day than with breakfast.

"You hungry?" I asked. His head crooned upward, looking at me. He nodded his head bashfully. That sure was a surprise. And so, we both got up from the couch, which held our imprint after we had gotten up, boy did I feel fat. He and I made the short trek through the living room, into the dining room, and finally reached the kitchen. I didn't get around to washing the dishes last night, but there were only 2 dishes in the sink. This was common for somebody who lived alone in a house. With a hearty sigh, I went into the cupboard and looked over the many cans and boxes and bags of food that made up the pantry. Cereal would suffice at that point.

"Which one do you want?" I questioned. He seemed unsure at first, but then he made his decision. He walked into the pantry and pulled out a box of Frosted Flakes, the sugariest cereal I had. Just like a kid I suppose. At least he was willing to eat. We then trotted over the cupboard across the large room and got two ceramic bowls out. I filled mine with about as much as possible without a pesky overflow, Cody engorged his bowl with about twice as much milk as cereal for whatever reason. There was silence between us as we ate except for the exceptionally loud crunch of the cereal. Before I was done, I got up from the table and opened up the front door, just like always, the paper was there. I grabbed the periodical, wrapped in a clear coating of plastic, and shut the door. But not before noticing how nice it was outside, the sun was out, and there were almost no clouds in the sky. It just seemed so fitting. Things were looking up.

I walked back into the kitchen as Cody was finishing his bowl. I sat back down at the table and continued on my half full bowl of culinary excellence. It didn't take long for me to finish, and Cody was so polite as to not leave the table until I did, even though he was already finished. I looked down at my silver watch, gleaming with the light from the kitchen, it was 9:25. Thinking for a second, I decided I would go to the store to buy the kid some clothes, that was the thing that mattered most at that moment. So I went to my bedroom, Cody in tow, and picked out a quick set of matching clothes.

"I'm going to go to buy you some new clothes, so I need you to stay here okay?" I told him. He agreed with a dejected nod. It was as if he had all of a sudden become sad. I ruffled his hair a bit and was out the door.

I found myself jogging to the bus stop, nearly late, I really needed a car. Just as I reached the stop, the grey vehicle pulled up, and the people piled in. I took a seat next to an old woman, her white hair looking wild among her head. She turned towards me and stared, I thought she would speak, but she just continued to look at me, as though I had just sprouted horns or something. That made the ride rather awkward, but nothing was going to bring me down, Cody seemed upbeat today, which is way more that I could've asked for, so nothing bothered me. The bus came to a stop, in front of a decorated building packed with windows. That was my stop, so I got up and bid the woman a good day as I stepped off the bus.

As I came near the door, they opened. Even though I knew they were automated, I still felt as though God was smiling on me that day, so much so that he made doors open for me. I walked through the air-conditioned store, wandering until I came upon the children's section. I grabbed just about as much as my arms could carry, I didn't think to get a cart. The cashier was a heavy set woman, who seemed to enjoy my company as we ranted. Then in a flash, I was out of the door. I sighed a happy sigh, this day was so inviting. As soon as I stepped out of the store, the bus made its way to the stop. I didn't even have to wait, what luck. And so began my journey back to my house. I couldn't get rid of the smile that was plastered on my face, I was radiating happiness.

I unlocked my door and stepped inside. Cody wasn't in the living room, where he last was. I passed the thought and looked in the dining room, he wasn't there either, nor the kitchen. Now I was getting worried. I checked in my bedroom, only to find it empty. Now the smile had faded, as a million worst case scenarios popped into my head. I ran to the other side of the house to the bathroom, he wasn't there. I was nearly to tears as I reached the guest room.

"Cody." I breathed a sigh of relief, he was in the guest room the whole time. His back was towards me, I didn't exactly know what he was doing, but I was just happy that he was there. Again, I smiled.

"Hey, Cody I got you some--" I stopped in my tracks as I approached. Fresh crimson blood was dripping from his right wrist. My razor that was in the bathroom was on the floor not a foot away. I took one step closer, terrified. Suddenly, Cody collapsed where he stood.

"Cody!..."

A/N: Well, Chapter 3 is done. I thought I'd make the beginning of the chapter happy, and make the end sad, so this is what I came up with. Not as many details in this one though. But...until next time everybody.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** Once again, or twice again, I do not own the Suite Life in any way.

Well, sorry about the couple days wait. Couldn't get on the computer to update, so here ya go.

**Moseby's POV:**

I forcefully dropped the hundred plus dollars worth of merchandise in my hands solemnly at my sides. I slowly crept towards the lifeless mass on the wool carpeted floor. The stark titanium white shirt Cody was wearing was slowly transforming into red. How could this have happened? Things were running so smoothly. This was just a textbook case of calm before the storm. I shook the unresponsive body, trying to evoke it from its seemingly eternal slumber, but to no avail. His glaring eyes had rolled back to the point that the shining pupils I had become enamored with could no longer be seen. His mouth was slightly agape, slow shallow breaths were spilling out. This was not good, not good at all, I had to do something and quick.

Turning on my heels, I grabbed the black cordless phone from the other side of the empty room. There were only three numbers that I had to dial, but I made so many mistakes in my franticness. I swear it took me nearly five long minutes to get the nine, the one, and the other one in correct numerical order. After straining my voice box to yell with the operator, an ambulance was on its way to my house. I was so scared, the body that I now held in my arms still hadn't moved, and no matter how much pressure I exerted on the wound, life still poured out of it, as if it was being willed out. I ran through the guest room, through the hallway, across the dining room, into the living room, and out the door onto the dense concrete porch. My head snapped left and right repeatedly, with cat-like speed, looking for the comforting lights of the ambulance, longing to hear the angelic siren. There was silence, seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours, hours into decades, I was disheartened. And then from the left side of the street, the boxed ambulance sped to the front of my house. The two medics in the front and one from the back popped out and sprang into action.

They made haste with the few steps up to the porch and took Cody out of my loving arms. I felt more alone in that second than ever before, like my soul had been evicted from its resting place. As they began loading Cody into the ambulance on the cold steel stretcher, I took a step in as well. The woman EMT, short haired and round faced, stopped me.

"I'm sorry sir, but there's not enough room. You'll have to provide your own transportation." she scolded. She pierced my heart.

"No! There's no way I'm leaving his side. If there's no room, we'll make it." steamy tears flowed down my cheeks, my guard was down, depleted infinitely. Her pudgy face softened.

"Well, hurry up, get in, we're losing time." she welcomed.

"You ready back there Cheryl?" The driving, high nosed man asked.

"Yes, we're ready. Let's go." I interrupted, taking on the role of a middle aged overweight woman. And then we sped off. All the emotions came flooding to me, hitting me like a ton of bricks. Adrenaline was filling my person at an exponential rate, it was too much to handle, I blacked out.

When I came to, I found myself in a comfortable bed. Crisp white sheets surrounded me. There were metal guardrails on either side, this wasn't my house. I drearily looked up, focusing on the IV connected to my left arm. Whatever concotion it was, flowed steadily into the bulging vein. The sun was blinding, amplified by the double paned windows to my right. The drawer next to the bed was equipped with hypodermic needles, centrifuges and other terrifying perephenilia. I was in the hospital...wait, I was in the hospital!

"Cody!" I gasped, hopping from the bed and walking out the door. This hospital was big, I didn't know where I was headed, but instinct became my tour guide. I trekked through the labyrinth, nearly slipping after ignoring a "wet floor" sign. Finally, I reached the E.R., this was where I saw the doctors. They were surrounding the very person I was looking for. Slowing down gracefully, I continued to advance towards them. Maybe the doctors would have good news. 'He made a complete recovery' they'd say. I cheered up by a factor of one one millionth.

"How is he?" I desired not to know as much as I desired to know.

"Not good at all. He's flat-lined two times so far."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the Suite Life of Zack and Cody in any way shape or form.

Well, here's another chapter up. Sorry if it's a little short. Thanks for all the reviews, it really keeps me going.(hope you can't feel the sarcasm lol)

**Moseby's POV:**

I felt as though I had flat-lined when I got word of the beguilling news. My eyes fell to the bulky machine situated next to the stretcher. As far as I understood, the spikes were directly proportional to the well being of the patients, it was supposed to monitor the pulse. The steadier the peak, the steadier the person's condition. Cody's pulse was erratic, never finding a certain rhythm to exist upon. There was a delayed beating, one for each systemic peak. Each beat begat about a one second pause, but it quickly increased in speed. The intervals shortened to about a millisecond, I didn't understand what was happening. Cody's body jerked once, then twice, thrice.

"He's convulsing!" one of the many doctors said. It looked so violent, but I couldn't help feeling some relief by the fact that he was actually moving. However, as quickly as the spasms came, they went. The area calmed to a low buzz. The medics slowly began filing out, removing the latex gloves from their durable hands and disposing of them accordingly.

"W-what's happening? Is he going to be okay?" I was submerged in emotion. A nurse came up to me, putting her long arm around my shoulder, her eyes met mine.

"Well, his pulse is slowly getting better, but we'll need to keep him longer for extended supervision." she laid it on fairly thin, sugar coating it heavily, I enjoyed that. I looked down at my watch, forgetting all about the time. It read two thirty seven, I needed to get to the hotel, I'd check on Cody after I left that night, but until then.

After checking out of the hospital, I stepped out onto the sidewalk. It just so happened that my hotel was within walking distance, so I began walking towards the building. My head hung low as I trotted, memories of seeing Cody's lifeless body stuck fresh in my head. The walk seemed to take less time than usual, in no time, the Tipton came into view. I looked up at the enormous landmark before me, sighing before I went through the entrance. The doorman Norman greeted me with a simple and just nod, which I couldn't muster up the gall to return. My hotel seemed awfully slow today, there was no panic whatsoever, couldn't say that I wasn't elated about that aspect. As I made my way to the manager's desk, my desk, I bumped into somebody, still, I didn't bother to look up.

"Oh Mr. Moseby, you don't look so well. How about a joke?" judging by the heavy accent, I'd say it was the Hispanic bellhop, Esteban. He tapped my shoulder as I trekked past him, uncaring.

"Knock knock..." he goaded. I didn't say anything, let alone turn to face him. "Who's there?" he whispered himself, he was going to tell this joke no matter what. I just wasn't in the mood.

"Sorry, Esteban, I'm not up for hearing jokes right now." I leaned against the desk sloppily. The dejected bellboy backed off, taking the bags he was responsible for up to the specific room. I'm glad he didn't stick around for long, I'd probably snap. But no sooner than Esteban left, an ear splitting, stomach turning voice erupted from the elevators. 'London' I growled under my breath, she'd wear my patience thin undoubtedly.

"Moseby! Moseby! Ivanna wants to be walked. " she told me.

"So..." why would she tell me that? Oh no.

"So, how can I walk her if I'm trying on shoes? Plus, this outfit was not made for walking dogs, it's for attracting cute guys." she clapped, adding a trademark, 'yay me!' at the end.

"Why don't you get Maddie to do it?" bad choice of words, as soon as the last words came out of my mouth, the candy counter girl came charging to the scene. It was then my turn to be bombarded with complaints. This just wasn't my day.

The rest of the day was no better, the computer system for the hotel went down, the card keys for the rooms stopped working, and Arwin the mechanic came up with some new amazing invention that ended up exploding. But after all of that, thankfully, my day was done. I ran out of the horrible hotel as fast as I could and looked up at the sky. It was dark, 12:06 in fact. I breathed deep, hoping to fill my lungs with fresh air, but all I managed to do was inhale a bunch of exhaust from the many cars that passed in front of the hotel.

The bus was long gone, but I wasn't trying to get home just yet. Instead, I made my way back to the hospital. I walked immediately to the emergency room, only to find out that Cody wasn't there. One of the doctors from earlier came up to me. Cody was no longer in the E.R., he had been moved to another room I was told. Room 237. So I went through the many hallways, up the elevator once, and finally found the room. I slowly opened the door, I was afraid of what I might see, but I conquered that fear relatively quickly. Cody was in a bed that was in the center of the room, the tv was on. I walked closer, cautiously, was he still unconscious? His face seemed relaxed, but his eyes were still closed. I guessed he hadn't gotten better since I had left him. The pain in my heart came back. The room's door opened and a doctor walked in.

"Well, you'll be glad to know that he woke up earlier. He's sleeping now, and he'll probably be sleeping for a couple of days. His pulse returned to normal, but he'll need alot of rest. Thankfully, he responded well to our physical therapy." tears of joy spilled from my cheeks immediately. The man smiled at me, he could sense my happiness.

"However, I must advise that you have him see a specialist. Cutting is a very addictive practice, and begets rehabilitation. I don't want this to happen again, especially with a kid as young as he is." he softened. He was right, this would have to change. But for the moment, I was happy, I had gotten Cody back again.

A/N: Well, there you have it, Chapter 5. The next one should be up pretty soon. The question is, will Cody continue to be depressed, or will Moseby finally be able to get through to him.

Oh yeah, and for some Q and A. No, Moseby does not know Cody, therefore, he does not know Carey or Zack. And no, Carey and Zack do not live in the Tipton. I think that was the most frequent question.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Suite Life or any of its characters...except Maddie...wait, no, not her either.**

Jeez, terribly sorry for this blatant out of character...ness. My computer has been bugging ever since the debut of Chapter 5, but it seems to be out of its funk and so...ladies and gentlemen...Chapter 6. Oh and also I'd like to thank In NYC for giving me a good kick in the rear, and actually giving me the incentive to make haste with the update.lol Everybody else thanks for your patience.

**Moseby's POV:**

My lead laden eyelids drearily opened, pupils constricting due to the heavenly light that poured into them. Sleep still lingered to my being, but I held strong and continued the arduous journey I called living. I looked around the room I occupied, it looked so familiar, yet so alienated...it was at the tip of my tongue...the hospital. I had fallen asleep at the hospital. My memory was returning, I had fallen asleep not too much longer after the doctor had said...said that Cody was going to be okay. Yeah that's right, Cody had woken up. My eyes snapped sharp left, the last known position of the boy I cared for. He seemed closer than he was yesterday...although that might have been a regularity because of the fact that I was no longer on the cold, solitary chair next to the hospital bed, but I was directly in the bed, right next to Cody.

His limbs were flailed among the bed, one arm hanging over the steel railing to his left, and the other comfortably resting on me. I touched the outstretched arm, it was warm, unlike the frigid grip I remembered so clearly. Physically it seemed as though Cody was better, but I could sense that it'd be a much higher mountain to peak when concerning his mental health. The fact that he wasn't happy enough to continue living was really tugging at my bare soul. Well, I'd see to it that changes came about, even if I died in the process. I moved a few loose strands away from the serene face snuggled against me and smiled.

Then the door opened, and in came a heavy man, short stature, dressed in a turquoise scrub, exhibiting his profession outright. This was the one who gave me the good news the night before. He slowly walked into the room.

"I came in earlier, but I didn't want to wake you. Um...I have some questions for you." his voice was rather raspy. I didn't like the sound of that, but moving diligently, I got out of the bed.

"Questions...a-about what...exactly?" I was nervous to say the least.

"Well...first off...I would really love to see you walk out the door with young Cody here, but there are certain things we at the hospital must know." I should've expected this from the beginning.

"Of what relation do you and Cody have? As in...are you a family friend, is he an adopted son, or...well, you get the idea." What was I supposed to say; I found the kid in the alley, drowning in his own blood and tears, and I just decided to abduct him...wow...the truth hurted.

"I guess you could say I'm a...surrogate father of some sorts." I felt as though that was the most honest answer I could give him. The hefty man's eyes glimmered.

"Well do you have any of his immediate family's information? Phone numbers, addresses, anything." Now I was worried. I was in the right mind to spill it all in one fail swoop, but I didn't want to meander...unfortunately...my conscience got the best of me.

"Honestly...I have absolutely no information whatsoever on his family. I found Cody a few blocks from my house, he had been abused when I found him. I don't know by who though. But, I couldn't just have left him there, so I took him in, but I guess...depression took hold...of h-him...and wouldn't let go." I was full out crying. My own words had effected me more than anybody else's words could have, and the doctor was feeling it too apparently, as tears ran down his own stout face.

"I can't say I approve, the police will have no mercy if this story gets out, but I can't help but admire your courage and love for Cody. I'll tell you what, as long as you promise to do whatever is in the best interest of the boy, I'll let you leave with him." He had barely finished his last words before I lunged at him, embracing as much of him as I could hold. Soon, he was on his way out the door and I swiftly moved to Cody's bed. Before we could leave, I had to rid Cody of the wrinkled hopsital gown, and promptly dress him in the new change of clothes he had been given.

Then I gently lifted him out of the bed and into my coveting arms. I smiled as I walked out of the confining doors of the hospital. I needed to get home, there was no arguing about that. However, I still hated the fact that I had to take the bus just to get home, but it was just a minor obstacle which was easily surmounted as I entered the big vehicle. Questioning eyes followed me, gazing at the boy peacefully sleeping in my arms, but there was no deferring me. My day was going pretty well so far...but that sounded ever so familiar.

The ride home was rather long, but I endured. My house was just as I had left it, a mess, due to the panicked state I was in when I last left it. I walked into my room, and laid Cody down on my bed, which was the most comfortable in the house. I pulled the covers up to his chin and softly trekked my way out of the room. I was pretty sure he wouldn't wake up. As I left the room, there was a knock at the door.

I was greeted by the older woman who lived to next to me. She was worried about the ambulance she had seen none too long ago. Even after giving her a clean condensed version of my story, she still was reduced to tears. I had known her for years, so it was natural that she develop a sort of bond.

"I'm so sorry to hear that." she comforted.

"Yeah, and now I'm just so stressed. I'm afraid to leave him alone anymore." I confessed. Her wrinkled face furrowed with thought.

"I'll tell you what, why don't you go out for a little while, I'll stay here with the boy. I won't take no for an answer." she definitely was forward. After alot of mental deliberation, I sided with her and set out.

Around the corner from my house, there was a coffee shop that I frequented, a place to get my mind off of things. As I walked in, the familiar bell dinged once, signaling my entrance. The same, tall and slender, woman was standing behind the counter.

"Hey Marion, what can I get for ya?" she was cheery.

"The usual." I seemed passive as I walked towards the back of the shop. Due to my lack of attentiveness, I accidentally bumped into the woman in front of me, knocking the paper out of her hand.

"So sorry." I apologized as I hastily picked it up and handed it to her. She was about a head taller than I was was, short hair, thin frame, almost like a model. My eyes connected with hers. I decided to introduce myself.

"Hello, I'm Marion." a simple greeting, but it'd work.

"Hey Marion, I'm Carey."

A/N: Well, there you go. The chapter I've been yearning to get out. Again, so sorry for the giant hiatus, hopefully I'm on track now. Chapter 7 should be up soon...but I don't want to jinx it.lol And once more, thanks to all the people who reply to the story.


	7. Chapter 7

Well, finally got the computer back after a million years. Once again, I must say sorry for taking so long to post, but I think I might be running steady this time around. (but I don't want to jinx it) You may have to reread the last chapter so that your memory is refreshed, heck, even I had to reread it. And so, after the two month break, I present to you all, chapter 7.

**Moseby's POV: **

'Carey', I liked that name. But then again, in my state of mind, I was liable to be attracted to the name 'Butch'. For some reason, I felt an immediate connection to this lengthy woman, and the only other person I have felt such a connection with so quickly was...Cody. Again, I was demoralized in a fraction of a second, but my facade was up, I wasn't going to let Carey know what was wrong with outright.

"Would you like to..." I motioned towards a booth in the back, hopefully she'd accept.

"Sure, let's go." she agreed as we walked towards the end of the cafe in into the hugging embrace of the booth. Butterflies were flying amok in my stomach, I didn't want to mess things up, smooth as they were going so far. Just as I was about to start some meaningless conversation, a waitress came to the table and dropped off my coffee. Steam rose mightily from the murky surface of the hot drink placed before me, it was almost relaxing in a sort. Picking up the heavy glass slowly, I caught myself shaking slightly, Carey probably noticed as well, but didn't attack the subject.

"So, Marion, what do you do?" she started the conversation.

"Oh, um...I'm a hotel manager. The Tipton's hotel manager. And what about yourself?" it was customary to question her back.

"...unfortunately...I'm a waitress." she was obviously embarrassed of her current profession, though I found no real reason for abashment. However, I had to admit, for somebody who's taken on such a career choice, she sure did seem pretty upbeat in general.

"Oh, that's not so bad, for a woman of your demeanor, I'm sure you get the largest tips around." I couldn't believe I was actually capable of telling a joke, no matter how terribly corny it sounded. Carey seemed to get a real kick out of it, gracing me with a hearty chuckle.

"Yeah, well, when you have a kid, it's kind of hard to live off tips." she chimed. That was a surprise, a kid.

"A kid huh?" I pressed.

"Yeah, I have one boy, his name's Zack."

"Well of course he has to be a strapping young man right?" I covertly complimented Carey.

"I wish. Zack's quite the handful, always causing so much trouble. He's the reason I find myself coming to this cafe, escaping his wrath for what time I can. But, he's all I got, so I cherish him." she was emotional on multiple counts. I didn't know I'd get this kind of reaction. Then, my lagging mind caught it, she must have been single. For some strange reason, I lightened knowing that fact, despite the concise ballad she had just spilled. It reminded me so much of myself, we were nearly the same, with the exception of me not having a child...well, not a biological one at least.

"Oh jeez, look at the time, I've got to get to work! It was absolutely great talking to you Marion, hope we can do it again. Wait, I got it, here take this." she reached into her small purse and took out a ripped piece of paper. She then fetched a pen and proceeded to write seven magical digits onto it.

"Talk to you later." I saluted as she waltzed out the door and ran to her car. With a screech, she sped off down the empty street. I drank the rest of the coffee rather swiftly and I too was out the door, on the way back to my house. As I trekked down the sidewalk, I kept thinking about Carey, her hair, her eyes...her height. I was like a giddy school girl lolling over the new guy in class, but I was proud to hold the title at that moment in time. Almost skipping up the concrete stairs to my house, I walked through the door.

My elderly neighbor was in the front room, watching the news, the room was silent.

"Well, Marion, you look positively refreshed." she praised from the couch. I flashed a smile at her briefly, nearly to the point of non-existence. She knew what my first statement would be.

"Young Cody is still asleep in your room. He seemed peaceful enough, but he kept tossing and turning on the bed, I hope the dear's not having nightmares." I could see where they would come from.

"Thank you so much for watching him, I really needed it" I helped her out of the death grip my sofa was putting on her aged body and walked her to the door.

"It was my pleasure, and feel free to do this again sometime." she welcomed as she slowly made her way down the steps, careful not to lose her balance. There really were great neighbors in the world, and she was exemplary. I closed the door behind me as I tardily made the journey through the house to my room. As aforementioned, Cody was still asleep as I walked in.

He was sleeping on his back, limbs flailed among the sheets, wanton. His t-shirt was soaked with perspiration, maybe he really was having nightmares. Struggled whimpers were piling in the back of his throat, he was uncomfortable obviously. I walked to the other side of the room and turned on the oscillating fan that stood in the far corner, the place needed to cool down some. Gently sitting on the edge of the bed, I removed my socks and shoes. After placing them accordingly, I got up and went back into the living room, lest I disturb Cody.

I plopped down onto the couch and picked up watching television where my neighbor had stopped. There wasn't really anything interesting on, but as usual, it served to take my mind off of things. The cathode ray emitting machine was making an almost inaudible humming noise, and other than that, there were no other interferences. But then something broke the silence, coming from the kitchen. I turned around on the sofa only to meet the eyes of...

"Cody!"

A/N: That's like the third or fourth chapter that's ended like that, but who cares.lol So, now that things are seemingly back on track, the next chapter should be up relatively soon, meaning, not 2 months spanning. I did manage to kind of update my profile, but it's not really cooperating, hope that's not a sign of what's to come. Once more, thank you to all reviewers, and all of you who have waited with zen-like patience. There might just be a reward in it for ya.lol So until next time...


	8. Chapter 8

Well, looks like I finally have a minute to write again. School is really taking its toll on me and my writing, but I have prevailed it would seem. And so, here is chapter 8, enjoy.

**Moseby's POV:**

I watched in pure astonishment as Cody walked over towards me. There was an explosion on the television, but I paid it no mind, the only thing that could keep my interest was the boy slowly making his way to the couch. He looked surprisingly well, his skin had become considerably less pale since his...accident. My heart was straining to not give out on spot, and it was a very hard battle. I keenly listened as each of his feet scraped the carpet as he continued his arduous journey. A zillion and a half questions ran through my already clouded mind. I forcefully relaxed. After an agonizing wait, Cody finally reached me, standing directly in the path of the tv. Our eyes connected, the glorious sheen had returned to his eyes, replacing the blank ones he had formerly donned. In the most welcoming manner I could possibly muster, I motioned him to take a seat, hoping I wasn't moving way too fast for him. It was apparently a perfect rate for him. He softly sat in my lap and leaned himself against me. Warmness returned to my formerly cold and empty frame, everything settled. I wrapped an arm around him, pulling him as close as possible, I didn't want to lose him as I once had, I wouldn't let it happen. My voice box was trembling as I horribly attempted to utter at least one comforting word, it wasn't going to happen in that lifetime it seemed.

"Are you mad at me?" he shakily said. I nearly jumped at the surprising sound of his voice. My brain worked overtime to interpret his question, tears immediately flew to the corners of my eyes. Why would he ask such a question? Had I done something to provoke this?

"Why would I possibly be mad at you?" my voice was probably at its softest.

"...because I hurt myself." I couldn't see, but I was pretty sure he was crying by that point, I was nearly at the point of joining him, but I held strong. He sounded so innocent, like he had no idea as to why he cut himself in the first place, like it was just something his mind told him to do.

"I could never be mad at you, Cody. But I never want you to do anything like that again, for as long as you live." I slowly became more forward, but tears were still stinging my being. I held his shaking body tighter. I was nervous beyond comprehension, sure he could say he wouldn't do it, but what's to stop him if he really had no control.

"I couldn't help it...it was the only way...to make the pain disappear." Those were the words that made the dam come crashing down in a split second, tears proceeded it. I sniffled once, it caught Cody's attention, he looked up into my eyes once more. As I thought, he was crying as well, lip steadily quivering. He gently wiped my tears away, as he spilled more.

"Cody, when you made your pain disappear, you made it appear in me. Right here." I directed his hand to my heart, exhibiting the extent to which I felt on this subject. He'd undoubtedly understand.

"...I'm sorry..." he apologized. If anybody needed to apologize, it was me, apologize for not being there from the beginning. I knew that wasn't possible, but I still scolded myself for it.

"I want you to promise me that you'll never do that again..." my eyes never left his own, I was trying to have as much as an effect on him as I could. He grabbed my hand tightly.

"I promise. I'll never do it again." I trusted his eyes, they never meandered. I hugged Cody, satisfied with his response. He snuggled firmly against me as we began to watch the addicting glow of the tv.

After about an hour or so, Cody shifted positions. In the process, he brushed something in my pocket, causing a foreign sound. I reached into the noisy pocket and pulled out the piece of paper from earlier, I had nearly forgotten about it, about her. I looked at the wrinkled shred of stationery before me, then checked my watch, Carey's shift had ended by that point. I reached behind me and picked up the cordless phone from the table. Cody seemed passive towards my actions, paying it hardly any attention whatsoever. The butterflies returned as I began dialing the seven ominous numbers. I put the phone up to my ear just as it began ringing. One ring, no answer, two rings, still no answer, three rings, I was getting more nervous, four rings, five, had I miscalculated? Then shortly after the sixth ring, the receiver had picked up, I gulped.

"Hello?" couldn't mistake that voice, it was Carey.

"H-hey Carey, it's Marion." I greeted. At the sound of her name, Cody looked up, as though he knew the name, but then he resumed watching television.

"Oh hey, I was wondering if you were going to call or not. I'm glad you did."

"That makes two of us" she chuckled from her end. It was so easy to talk to her, very surprising.

"So, you resting after work?" I asked, making basically meaningless conversation.

"If only I could, I just got Zack to settle down. It doesn't take much, just put a video game in front of him, and he becomes a mindless zombie, boy do I cherish these times." now it was my turn to laugh, she always seemed so joking.

"I'm just glad I've got tomorrow off of work." she sighed. I spotted an opportunity.

"You want to do something tomorrow...like see a movie or something?" I'm sure my neighbor wouldn't mind sitting for Cody again, she'd probably enjoy it if anything.

"I'd love to watch a movie with you, but I have to watch Zack tomorrow. It's impossible to find babysitters for him on such short notice...or at all." an obstacle had presented itself, but I wasn't going to miss this opportunity.

"Oh, why don't you bring him along, it'd be fun." I offered, mentally crossing my fingers.

"Okay, it's a date. We can go see a movie tomorrow...I'll bring Zack.

A/N: Well, there it is. Chapter 8. Hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter coming soon to a computer near you.

Oh and one more thing, do you guys remember when I said your patience would be rewarded...well...I lied.lol Nah, I'm just joking, your reward is...Cody's POV next chapter.(pretty lame reward huh) It won't be the complete chapter, but it'll be about half.


	9. Chapter 9

Hey all! Looks as though I finally have time to update, so I suppose I'll start. This chapter contains "Cody's POV" which is used as a look into his past, so by the end of this chapter, I suppose you'll be a lot more educated. But...anyways...chapter 9! Oh wait, first off, did anybody catch that obvious clue about Carey and Cody in the last chapter? I hope so, it was as blatant as possible. But yeah, chapter 9.

**Moseby's POV:**

So it was a date. I couldn't believe I actually worked up the sheer gall to ask her such a question. The butterflies in my stomach calmed, fluttering to a complete halt of motion. It felt like I had surmounted the greatest accomplishment, and in some ways, I had.

My eyes fell back to the television. Its blazing lights filled my retinas at about a million miles an hour, but for some reason, it was as though I could see right past it. Did Carey really have that much of an effect on me? Nah, couldn't be. My reverie was broken when I heard Cody yawn. And being the pesky contagion that it is, I yawned as well. It was getting pretty late, so I decided it'd be best to get some sleep, after all, I did have a date tomorrow. A wonderful, excellent, marvelous date, an amazing, outstanding...man, did I need sleep. This time, the couch wouldn't suffice. Cody was already dosing off, he was more tired than I was. Just as I was about to stand up, I could hear him softly snoring, how could he sleep so often? And now, another problem presented itself: how was I going to get up without disturbing Cody? It was impossible really, mostly because I had the grace of an enraged bull in a China shop. One more night on the couch couldn't have hurt. Boy, the things I did for Cody, you'd think I'd have received an award already.

I stretched my legs out, into a lying position, making myself as comfortable as possible.

"Goodnight" I whispered as I turned off the tv. I swear, I went to sleep that night with the biggest smile plastered to my face.

The follow morning started off well. Beginning with breakfast as usual. After the small feast, my mental agenda reminded me that I had planned on going to the hotel for a while, so I was then off to get ready. Searching, through my closet, I found my clothing of choice. Just a normal suit, as always, but I decided to change up a little for today, settling for just a polo shirt and dress pants, businessman attire. I set the clothes on my bed before going into the bathroom to take a shower.

Around fifteen minutes later, I stepped out of the steam filled room, and into the surprisingly cold air of my bedroom. With ease, I put on my pants, then my undershirt, that was just the tiniest bit small, and then prepped the collared shirt. As I began to put it on, Cody walked into the room and sat down on the edge of my bed, giving me a questionable look.

"Where are you going?" he asked as I finished putting on the shirt, making haste with the eight buttons it had.

"I'm heading down to the Tipton hotel. Being its manager, I have to make sure it's not in shambles." I chuckled a little at the end.

"Can I go with you?" he questioned. Wow, in my hurry, I had nearly forgotten about where Cody would go. There'd be no harm in letting him come with me.

"Sure, but let's get you into some new clothes." I offered as I led him to the guest room. After choosing an outfit that matched, we were out the door, and on the way to the bus stop. We didn't have to wait long before the big grayish vehicle sluggishly made it's way towards us. I put my money in the beeping machine, then found two seats near the middle of the bus. Sitting down with gusto, we were Tipton bound.

Several long minutes later, the building revealed itself. Cody and I stepped off the bus and into the glass doors of my glorious hotel. Business seemed slow as usual, but business was business. I motioned Cody to have a seat in the lobby, while I stepped behind the check-in desk. From across the lobby, I spotted the candy counter girl Maddie, doing homework tentatively. She seemed frustrated. Softly handling the book in her hands, she brought it towards me.

"Mr. Moseby, this is ridiculous. All this homework, and I'm still on the clock." she complained. I couldn't really feel sorry for her though.

"I'm sorry Madeline, but sometimes..."

"I mean, how am I supposed to know how to find the area of a stupid circle!" she interrupted. I was near to telling her that I didn't know either.

"You multiply pi times the radius squared." the voice was...Cody's. That was a shock. Maddie whipped her head around towards his direction. He sank

"Sorry, I was just..." Cody apologized.

"No, keep going, please! Moseby, this kid of yours is a genius!" she said as she ran towards him, and splayed the book out on the table. My heart warmed seeing Cody interact with somebody else, not to mention the fact that he probably knew more math than I did.

Time flew after that, and before I knew it, it was nearly seven. The movie Carey chose started at 7:30, so I figured it'd be a good time to leave. I was about to tell Cody, but Maddie had somehow suckered him into helping her with the rest of her homework, so he'd have to stay there. I said my goodbyes to the duo, and was out the door. Once again, I had to ride the bus. The mobile contraption got there early, but an accident on the road made it run really late. In fact, by the time that I got off of the bus, it was a quarter until eight, I was late. I rushed through the stained doors of the movie theater after purchasing my ticket and looked for the right room. Carey had chosen a romance movie, in my mind, I'd like to think that she was dropping a hint. I can't imagine a kid that wanted to see such a flick, but maybe Zack enjoyed a good romance. Speaking of which, I began to wonder what he actually looked like. I shrugged it off for a moment, I'd eventually find out. Furthest back, I found the right room. Because I was late, the lights were off, and I couldn't see much.

"Carey...Carey..." I whispered, drawing attention. Towards the front, I could see a pair of arms flagging me down, I assumed I knew the owner. Trekking quietly, I made my way to the front.

"Hey Marion." she greeted as she directed me to the seat she saved for me. I could see Zack sitting to her right, but in the lack of lighting, I could only make out the slightest of his face...and it seemed so familiar. My eyes caught the movie, trying to make up for the amount that I had previously missed.

After about a glorious hour and 45 minutes of sitting next to Carey-I mean watching the movie, it ended. The credits rolled and the lights came back on. I looked towards my left, Carey was there in a most stunning outfit. It certainly wasn't waitress attire. And next to her sat her son Zack. I looked at him for one millisecond and froze. My stomach twisted around itself, releasing the hoard of butterflies. He looked exactly like Cody! It was as if I had taken Cody with me...but he was back at the hotel!

"Marion, you okay?" Carey asked as we walked out of the room.

"Yeah, but...could I talk to you for a moment...alone?" I had to get to the bottom of this.

"Uh...sure...go play in the arcade Zack." she ordered. He replied with a victorious "awesome" before sprinting down the hallway to the games. I pulled Carey over to a corner to start my rant.

"I know this might seem strange to you...but I...know of a boy that looks just like Zack." I began. Her eyebrow raised, she obviously didn't understand.

"I mean...there's a boy that I know, he looks just like Zack...like they were twins or something like that." Now I had her attention. She looked more in awe than I did.

"Wh-what's his n-name?" she was stammering.

"Cody." She lunged at me, grabbing my shirt desperately.

"You found my Cody?!!!!!!!!!!!"

Jeez, there it is. I'm sorry for the false advertisement in the last chapter. I know I said Cody's POV this chapter, but I had to change a few things. But next chapter, I SWEAR, Cody's POV in chapter 10. This one wasn't so bad was it...it was long...really long. Please read and review and I'll see to it that Cody's POV makes its way into the next chapter. Until then...


	10. Chapter 10

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm sad to say that this will be the last update for this story...ever. Things have gone hectic and I just won't be able to keep up with this story any longer...sorry...Nah, I'm just joking, decided to try out my acting...could you read my enthusiasm.lol Well, either way...I have updated, and so, friends...chapter 10.(my favorite number) This is basically a fill in chapter, where you learn the background on everything, please enjoy.

**Moseby's POV:**

Her Cody? What did she mean by that? Why didn't she tell me earlier? Why am I asking myself questions when I should be asking her?

"Your Cody?...Carey, wh-what's going on?" To call me confused was an understatement. Her eyes glistened, teeming with ever existing tears, this was obviously an emotional moment. The grip she was exerting on my shirt loosened slightly. I assumed she was going to explain, so I led her to a seat towards the main entrance of the theater. A quick brushing away of the stray popcorn that rested there made for a perfect spot. Her hands were shaking still; I rested my own on top, trying to comfort her.

"Well...it all started out 10 years ago...before we split up. Back then, it was me, my husband Kurt, and our twins, Zack and Cody." she began. I never knew she was married, but this only added do my confusion.

"Kurt and I never really got along, but when the twins were born, we tried to just put up with it for the time. But Kurt's habits were just too much to handle; he was an alcoholic, and he would sell any and everything just to get more liquor. And everyday, he would come home intoxicated and became violent. I just couldn't live like that."

"So what did you do?" I questioned. The story was slowly beginning to come together.

"I divorced him, and we split up on the twins' second birthday...I think that was one of the saddest days of my life. After that, we went to court for custody. At least I had the law on my side. The judge gave me custody of both Zack and Cody, and Kurt was ordered to attend therapy for his anger, and rehabilitation for his alcoholism."

"Well that's good that you got them. But then, how did you end up losing Cody?"

"Well, despite the fact that he had an addiction, he actually did provide for the family. I think Kurt ended up moving to another state. After we split up, I barely had enough to live on. And it got progressively worse. My mom suggested that I give up one twin, but that idea only succeeded in making me both angry and depressed. But when it came down to it, that was the only way I was going to be able to live, so...I had to give one away."

"And Cody was the one you left. So who adopted him?" I remembered the man I first saw Cody with in the beginning. I had to learn about him.

"I'm not sure who adopted him. But there was a man who kept trying to adopt him. When the agency looked him up, they found that he had an extensive criminal history. They promised that they wouldn't let him adopt Cody, but that brought me no comfort because he was friend with one of the people at the adoption agency. I prayed that he'd stop trying, but I don't think he did."

'I don't think he did either' I thought to myself.

"What was his name?" Everything was basically cleared up, but for my own reason, I had to find out about this new character that entered the equation. Carey thought carefully.

"I think his name was something like...Henry Lucas or something like that." My mission was set. I was going to find out about this Henry, and have him dealt with accordingly, my blood boiled thinking about it.

"So how did you find Cody?" she asked. I cringed, she wouldn't like what she was about to hear. Taking a deep breath in, I explained the whole situation.

I thought she was crying before, but after the story, she was reduced to nothing. Tears coming down furiously, sobs deep and long. People were staring at us, but Carey noticed nothing, with her eyes clenched tightly. All the while, Zack was busy conquering the galaxy in the strobe-lit arcade. After about a fifteen minute period of sulking, Carey pulled herself together, wiping her tears away.

"How about tomorrow, you come over to my place and see Cody?" I offered. With no hesitation, she triumphantly answered 'yes'. So it was set. We walked over to the blinking arcade to meet up with Zack. I was still baffled at his appearance.

"Zack, this is Marion Moseby, say hi." she said bluntly.

"Hey dude, nice to meet ya." he replied in a cool manner.

"Likewise." I retorted. Cordial meeting over, we dubbed the night done. As I trotted to the bus stop, Carey offered me a ride, of course I accepted. By the time I arrived at the hotel, it was 10:34, Cody was probably sleep.

To my surprise, Cody was still up, reading a magazine in the lobby. Cody lunged at me as I entered one of the glass doors, embracing me tightly. Every liter of air came rushing out of my lungs, but it was only a sign of liking.

"I missed you." he stated. I smiled.

"I missed you too." I replied.

"Did you have a good time?" he asked. It was very strange how Cody had become so social, but I liked the turn of events.

"Yes, I did, and I'll tell you all about it later, but for now, we need to get home." I suggested. We took the short walk to the bus stop and waited. The street was lit up with light from the street lamps, and the headlights of the many cars that came strolling past. Soon, the overweight vehicle lurched towards us, we climbed aboard, homebound.

**Cody's POV:**

Marion chose a seat near the middle of the bus, I had no objections, I'd go wherever he went. I sat on the inside, close to the dirty window, and he sat next to me. I leaned on his shoulder, feeling the warmth I usually felt when I did so. I was a little tired, but I wasn't ready to go to sleep yet. The ride was relatively smooth all the way home. Marion and I got off the bus and began to walk to the house. On the way, we passed the alley that Marion found me in. That was the worst day of my life, I wished I could just erase all of those memories from my head, after all, they were the reasons why I ended up cutting myself. But I don't think I'd ever forget them, which was a saddening thought, though I would never cut myself again, not after Marion was so mad at me. I didn't want him to give me that look again, that look of disappointment. Even thinking about the look made me sad, but I tried to look strong for him, show him that I can change...that I want to change.

Even though we were the only ones in the alleyway, I still found myself walking faster, trying to get out of there as soon as was possible. Shortly after, we made it to the house. It felt good to walk through the doors, especially since Marion was there. He kicked his casual shoes to the side, I followed suit, kicking my own tennis shoes near his. He continued to the couch, where he sat down with a big sigh. I climbed into his lap, resting my head on his chest. His firm hand rubbed my back, our bond was strongest then. I could tell that his date had gone well, I could sense his happiness. Whoever this Carey person was, she had my admiration for making him happy, but I kept feeling as though I knew that name from somewhere. And then, as though reading my mind, Marion spoke.

"Cody, I have a question for you. If you don't know the answer, don't worry about it, okay. Tonight I went out with a woman named Carey. Do you remember anybody by that name?" he shakily asked. I tried to think back as far as I could, but the name had no face. I shook my head.

"I don't remember a Carey." I told him. He left it at that, he didn't want to tell me more right then. I guess he thought that telling me would stir up something, and I'm sure that he still inwardly believed that I would hurt myself again. He couldn't have been more far from the truth, the pain that I felt when he showed how I hurt him, topped the pain from the razorblade by a big margin. I didn't have much time to dwell on the name before I started to become more tired. My eyelids increased in weight, falling ever so slowly, and before I knew it, I was out.

_Dream Sequence_

_I'm in the arms of a woman, her hold is warm. Her face is blurred, I didn't know who she was, but I felt peace. Then the door bursts open. A man walks in, stumbling over an obvious chair, I laugh. The woman looks afraid._

_"Are you drunk?" she speaks._

_"Carey! Damn it! Who the hell do you think you are to say that?!" He's yelling. I don't understand what he's saying, but I do catch the name Carey. Then, she sets me down in my bed, I see somebody else there beside me, he's my size, but his face is blank. Then there's more yelling. The man is louder. Then he draws back and hits the woman...Carey, in the face. She starts crying. I start crying, the boy beside me starts crying, even the man looks upset. Then he turns to the boy and I, he starts yelling again and walks towards me, tears keep coming, but he doesn't see them. Just as he gets there...I wake up._

_End Dream sequence_

I woke up panting heavily and sweating. I was still on the couch with Marion, it was all a dream, but it seemed so real. Then it hit me.

Carey was my mother.

A/N: Well, there ya go. That was Cody's POV, I didn't really like it. When I said I'd put it in, I actually had no idea what I was going to do.lol Also, I must state that I am sorry to anybody who happens to have the name, Henry Lucas. But you've got to admit, that Henry is a bad dude...but will he make an appearance soon? You've just got to stick around to see. One more thing, if you didn't know, the dream sequence was a flashback of Cody's when he was around 2, hence, he doesn't understand much. Um...well, that's about it. So, until next time everybody.


	11. Chapter 11

I am so so so so so sorry for the period with no updating, but it looks as though I have some time to update right about now, so I'd like to thank all of you guys who have been patient, congratulations, you have the patience of a saint.lol

I think I must give a little review on what happened in the last chapter. Once more, I found myself looking back at a chapter that I wrote just to remember where I was at, but…

Review: In the last chapter Moseby had just gotten finished with his date with Carey and went home with Cody. He thinks about what she told him about Cody being her son. Then he got mad when he found out about the very strange and shady Mr. Henry Lucas that seemed to covet Cody years back. He must do research. Then Cody had a little remembrance dream that ended up making him remember that Carey was indeed, his mom. That's where it left off. Also, there may be some confusion as to why I put Kurt in the last chapter. Basically I just needed to explain why he's not with Carey anymore, and that he moved away from them a while ago, so I hope that ends some confusion.

And without further ado, Chapter 11!

**Moseby's POV:**

I groggily awoke the morning after, wiping my eyes and allowing my pupils to adjust to the surroundings. I know I was opposed to the couch previously, but once more, it changed my opinion after giving me one of the best sleep experiences ever. Cody was awake before me like usual, watching the television. With a big yawn and stretch, I switched us to a sitting position; it would at least keep me from falling back asleep, which I couldn't say I'd reject. The sun's rays amplifying through the streakless windows lit the room. On the t.v. I saw a commercial with a woman at a table, having a conversation with her son…….and that reminded me, Carey was Cody's mom. The only problem was that Cody seemed to have no recollection of the name. I wonder how he'd take it if I was to tell him, or better yet, if he was to see Carey in person. Only time would tell. But for that particular moment……

"What do you say we get something to eat?" I proposed just as my stomach lightly growled. Cody seemed dejected as he nodded, I could tell, he was thinking about something. I wasn't going to pressure him though, if he wanted to tell me, he would.

We walked into the kitchen and towards the cupboard. As before, cereal would have to do the trick. After preparing the breakfast, we walked to the table and sat down. Cody sat opposite me, still seeming out of it. I hoped he was okay. Picking up on my brain waves, Cody began.

"Um……I…have something to tell you." He shakily said. Of course I was open to anything that he had to say.

"Go ahead Cody, you can tell me anything." I comforted. He took a deep inhale before letting it out with an exhale.

"Well…..yesterday….you told me about some woman named Carey." I nodded to keep him going.

"…..I think I know who she is." He revealed. That sure was a surprise. I began to wonder how he could've known now, if he didn't know before.

"She says she wants to see you, what do you think about that?" I asked. He shifted uncomfortably before getting up and walking towards me.

"….I don't know……the thought of it kinda scares me…." He admitted as he wrapped his arms around me, seeking affection. I consented, I'd be nervous as well if I hadn't seen my mother in 10 long years. My hand gently rubbed his back, solacing the troubled boy. His grip on me tightened, he was really torn about this subject; I decided to switch topics.

"Well, just think about it, but in the mean time, I say let's head up to the hotel. Hmm?" I pondered. Cody looked up at me, I got lost in his eyes like always. He pasted on a smile for me, and I returned the favor. Nobody knew how tonight would go when Carey comes over…..not even Cody I'm sure.

After putting the two heavy bowls in the sink, I carried Cody to my room and set him on the bed, whose covers seemed untouched, nearly seamless. Across the clean room, I found my destination. I rummaged through the closet and came to two different suits. I couldn't make up my mind.

"Which one do you like better?" I presented Cody with the two garments in question. His brow furrowed as he cogitated.

"The one on the left……my left, your right." He laughed. I had an impartial favoritism towards the chosen one from the beginning, Cody had good taste. The suit was nearly ready to wear, though it was a little bit wrinkled along the sleeves and lower half, so I'd need to press it. The ironing board was right beside me, and it didn't take long for the suit to look its utmost professional. It was then that we trekked through a couple of empty rooms until we reached Cody's room. His bed was also untouched; the crisp white sheets hadn't changed since they had been put there. His wooden closet was considerably smaller than my own, but it did its job. I gently sat down on the soft bed that held my shape closely as Cody picked out his outfit.

"Which one do you like best?" he smiled as he held up two shirts, imitating my stunt from earlier. I laughed as I chose the one on his left, my right. We were ready.

It took no time before the dusty contraption screeched before us. The stocky bus driver was the same one that I had ridden with the day that I found Cody. For some reason, I felt as though I owed this man something; I'm sure he'd settle for a friendly smile. I paid the fare and walked towards the middle of the bus. Two empty seats quickly became occupied. Cody leaned on my shoulder as we rode, affection I was greatly happy to return.

The familiar sight of the vertically excelling building came into view, getting bigger as the wheels circled closer to it. As soon as the vehicle ceased motion, Cody and I made our way to the front, and off the messy automobile. We reached the doors, passing Norman, an older man in charging of manning the building, his face unchanging. Maddie was the first person we saw as we stepped into the decorative edifice.

"Hey Mr. Moseby. Hey Cody." She greeted with a big smile. Cody seemed caught off guard.

"Y-you remember me?" he stammered. I smirked.

"Of course I do! Thanks to you, I got an 'A' on my test." She congratulated. Cody's mouth was agape, still in shock, but it quickly turned upwards into a smile.

I took a look around the lobby, there were a few people scattered across the room filled with vases and chandeliers. It was the same routine day after day after day; this hotel really needed some entertainment, and quick. I'd have to look into that, but first, I had some business to take care of.

"Cody, I'm going to be in my office. Will you be okay out here?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'll be okay." He told me. I chucked, ruffling his blonde hair before walking away.

My office was great. Perfectly arranged, not a paper was out of place, just how I liked it. I took a seat in the comfy leather seat behind my wood varnished desk. My computer was turned off, but a press of a button sent protons and electrons reacting, bringing the slender machine to life. I opened up an internet explorer page and searched for a Boston DOC page, where the criminals were kept on file. It was time for the mystery to be solved. I speedily typed the name 'Henry Lucas' onto the search bar and hit 'go'. This encryption surfed through the page, before coming back with the information. My hand tightened around the mouse, I was nervous. The picture came up, my heart skipped a beat, and there he was. The picture was outdated I guessed, but it was all I needed. Mr. Lucas had quite the extensive criminal background, ranging from DUI to homicide, quite the convict. If I could get him charged with a crime, he'd be incarcerated for a life sentence, with his current warrant for arrest. I printed the page for reference and contemplated what to do next. I could not get him convicted yet, without sufficient evidence, but I'd see to it that he do hard time. My ears got hot as my blood rushed with fury, I nearly hit the screen. Calming down slightly, I shut the computer down, ceasing the conversion of energy from the cathode ray.

As I exited the office, my thoughts came to the ballroom. It hadn't been used for anything except for the occasional cotillion reservations. The Tipton Hotel needed an act, desperately.

"Hmm….maybe a magic act." I mumbled to myself as I came back to the lobby. Cody was again helping Maddie with her homework. I wasn't so sure that I was comfortable with her using Cody as she was doing, but if Cody liked it, then, so did I.

By the time that the duo was finished, it was dusk. Carey was supposed to come over and see Cody not long from then, so I concluded that we leave to await her. Saluting Maddie promptly, we were out the door.

As we waited for the bus, I noticed Cody shifting constantly. He was nervous, it was obvious. I truly felt for the boy, with mixed emotions, but with not nearly as jumbled emotions as he was experiencing. I put a hand on his shoulder, comforting him slightly. Then the bus sped towards us, with such velocity as to overshoot the stopping point. We stepped onto the sputtering bus, and as always, we found a seat in the middle. Even as we sat down in the seats, Cody's leg kept fidgeting nonstop. I could almost feel his heartbeat working overtime; he nearly made me nervous. The bus reached our stop, we unloaded from the automobile. By the time we reached the house, Cody had paled, his breath had quickened, almost at a pant.

"Cody, if you're not ready to see her, you don't have to." I tried to relieve some of his stress. He declined.

"N-no…..I'm j-just a little nervous is all. I'll be okay as long as you're there." He spoke. There'd be no way that I'd leave, so he was safe. We sat on my soft couch and watched the door. Carey was supposed to be there any minute. Even though the television was turned off, I still felt like there was too much noise in the compact room. At that point, I was nervous. I didn't know what reaction to expect out of either of them. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Simultaneously, Cody and I jolted to a stand.

"Are you ready?" I asked him. He nodded as his small hand grabbed my own.

"Come on in. The door's open." I yelled. The silver plated doorknob slowly began turning. Cody's grip tightened and he pulled himself closer to me. Our breaths quickened once more as time went on, and then……..the door opened. In came Carey!

A/N: Yes, there it is. I feel refreshed after this update. This chapter functioned almost like a puzzle piece, fitting everything together. The story only goes up from here, but I had to get a catalyst for the rest of the story, this chapter was that. Everything branches off of this one from here on out. So how did you like it? It's pretty long….over 2000 words in total. Make sure to leave a review, it's been so long since I've gotten one lol.

And so, until next time everybody. See ya!

Oh, and also, next chapter: Carey and Cody's reactions, along with Cody's POV!


	12. Chapter 12

Art projects, art projects, SO MANY ART PROJECTS!!!!! I knew when I signed up for AP art that I'd be drawing a lot, but I didn't know I'd be drawing THIS much! I barely have any free time. But for now, it seems as though I do have a little bit of time, and so I'll update. Once more, I'm sorry……just been completely swamped with work.

Review: The last chapter ended with Cody on the verge of meeting his mother, Carey.

So ladies and gentlemen, Chapter 12. Oh yeah, I forgot, I have to put Cody's POV in this chapter.

**Cody's POV:**

The door continued to slowly turn its hinges, opening inch by inch. Butterflies were fluttering wanton in my stomach. I felt a new emotion; it wasn't exactly fear, but I was somewhat scared. Adrenaline was racing through my body with immense speed. My mouth was agape as pants slowly made their way out. This new feeling was not exactly enjoyable, only tolerable. I was holding Marion's hand, the only source of comfort that I had at that moment. Knowing that he was there almost made my anxiousness disappear……almost. Every radial turn of the door made me grip his hand tighter. The door finally finished its route.

There was a slight pause before the opener began to step inside. Her first footstep on the hardwood floor shook me; even the sound of it seemed familiar. My heartbeat was steadily increasing. From behind the door, she walked in. The first thing I noticed was her height; she was rather lofty. Then I saw her face, it was at that point that I remembered. I became lightheaded as the memories came crashing into my head. The woman from my dream finally had a face, and I recalled. I could remember the warmth she emitted; I remembered the solace I felt every time she held me, every time we interacted. I could remember her eyes, her nose, her smile; it all came back to me, and the feeling inside of me became warm; I felt nearly complete.

Her mouth dropped at the moment we met again. And then I saw them; I saw the tears that came streaming down her face. Seeing them made tears descend down my face as well, unknowingly. I wasn't sad, but tears still continued to plummet. Her formerly undone mouth turned upwards into a smile. She was happy to see me, another person showed me recognition; I felt loved by one more. Ineffable happiness flowed through my person as I connected with her. A firm hand on my back urged my forward, towards my mother. I looked up towards Marion, who was smiling at me with tears almost falling from his face as well. I plumbed his eyes for approval, which I greatly received; he wanted me to reconnect, to reform the ties that had been partitioned years ago.

My legs weren't working swiftly enough as I ran towards her open arms. The closer I got, the warmer it became. And then we touched once more; a warm feeling entered my soul, a feeling I thought only Marion could evoke. I remained there, in her arms, as the affection enrapt me.

"Oh my god, Cody, I've missed you so much." Her angelic voice rung in my ears. Her fingers softly ran through my hair; I relaxed.

"I missed you too." I cried against her. I felt as though I was floating as she picked me up off of my feet and walked over towards Marion. The warmth inside me doubled as he joined the embrace. I still felt content even as we released. We walked over to the couch as sat down. Carey was to my left and Marion to the right. Despite the rush of emotions I felt at that moment, I finally began to notice how tired I really was. My eyelids became irritably heavy. The two of them both detected this. Once more, Carey ran her fingers through my hair, lulling me to an imminent slumber. Carey began to sing, using a lullaby to aid in my slumbers. I remember hearing the song long ago, it was comforting, and before I knew it, I had dozed off.

**Moseby's POV:**

In order to help Cody get to sleep Carey sang him lullaby. Her voice was immaculate. She chanted beautifully; I had no idea that she had such a voice.

"Carey, that was stunning. I didn't know you could sing." I said.

"Oh, yeah, I've been singing since I was little, just something to relax me. I used to sing to Zack and Cody when they were young." She admitted. Then an idea hit me like a ton of bricks. Perfect.

"Carey, the Tipton could really use an entertainment act, and I think that you'd be perfect for the position. Are you interested?" I hoped for the best. A singing act would be just the thing the hotel needed to attract more people, but she had to accept it first.

"Are you serious? That would be great! I could finally earn enough to get Zack and I out of our old apartment." She beamed. It seemed to work out for the two of us.

"As such an employee, you'd be entitled to an exclusive room in the hotel." I told her; she became more elated.

Carey checked her watch; she needed to get home. I walked her to the door and saluted her as she returned to her car. A simple turn of the key in the ignition caused a spark to combust, enticing the vehicle to life. In the following moments, the wheels rolled the contraption down the street. With a smile, I walked back into the house. Tomorrow, Carey would come back, at an earlier time so that she could spend more time with her son, but until then….

I carefully picked Cody up from the sofa. This time, there was no chance that I would get stuck sleeping there. Onward I walked through the small rooms until reaching my own. After relieving both Cody and I of our shoes, I gently set him down on my comforting bed. I didn't want him to wake up alone after such a day of reuniting. Then it was my turn to lie down, proceeding to pull the covers over our frames.

"Goodnight." I whispered before sleep overtook me.

That following morning, Cody and I woke up at virtually the same time, maybe off by a couple seconds or so.

"Good morning." He said as he wrapped his arms around me affectionately. I greeted him the same way before getting out of the tempting grip of the mattress. As usual, we walked to the empty kitchen. Breakfast was needed. But this time, cereal would not be sufficient. I was a rather good cook in my own mind, so I decided to go all out. I opened up the towering refrigerator door and pulled out the needed ingredients. Cody watched my every move. Maybe someday, Cody would grow to like cooking if he didn't already.

"What are you making?" Cody asked. With a smug smirk, I began.

By the end of my concocting, breakfast was done. On the menu were pancakes, eggs, scrambled to my liking, toast……basically everything but the stove. Cody marveled at the feast spread before us, but he had little time to admire before we dove into the culinary pool. It seemed as though our appetites were great, for the gorging lasted no more than twenty minutes, rendering us both nearly immobile; it was a good feeling.

"Where'd you learn to cook like that?" a very stuffed Cody pondered.

"If you grew up with my mother, you couldn't help but learn to cook." I replied. After the meal came the atrocious part, washing dishes, and we had dirtied quite a few of them. He helped me load them into the steel sink. And then we began to cleanse the dishware. With Cody helping, the chore went faster than it ever had gone before.

As soon as we had finished, the phone rang. I picked up the receiver after drying my hands off.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hey Marion, it's Carey." I had been expecting her call. She must have been on her way over to see Cody again.

"Oh, hey Carey." I continued the conversation.

"I'm on my way over to your house right now." She told me. Cody would be happy when I told him.

"Oh yeah, and I'm bringing Zack with me."

A/N: Well, there you have it. I feel as though I used my free time well. Things are getting more and more crazy. Zack and Cody will finally see each other again. Well um….that's about it for this time. I'll try to make the next review a lot sooner. Until then…. Oh yeah, review please.

Next Chapter: Zack and Cody's reuniting!


	13. Chapter 13

Ah, Spring Break……one of the only times of the year that I don't have to worry about school and all that other bothersome stuff. I feel really good right now, no projects due, no nothing, who knows, I might update 2 times…..this week…….who knows.

Oh, and I must disclose that I am very appreciative to those of you who say my writing is really good……because apparently my English teacher doesn't think so. How dare she give me a B…….a B-. But that's beside the point, I have time to update, and so I shall.

Review: Last chapter was full of the mushy, heartfelt reuniting of Cody and his mother Carey. The following day, Moseby kind of teaches Cody to cook, and then he gets the word that Carey is on her way over……with Zack in tow.

**Moseby's POV:**

I put the phone back on the receiver gently. I wondered how he would take this bit of news. Cody walked over to me, drying his hands off as he did so. He knew I was thinking about something, as always.

"Who was that?" he asked. I took a deep inhale before beginning.

"Oh, that was Carey; she's on her way over." I congratulated. His eyes lit up as he wrapped his loving arms around me.

"That's great!" he exclaimed. And then came the big hit.

"And she's bringing your brother with her." Cody jerked away from me, giving me a questioning look. He was confused.

"My what?..." he asked. I figured as much; if he didn't remember his mother, then he definitely wouldn't remember his brother, and I was certain that he didn't remember his father, wherever he was.

"You're brother. Cody, you have a brother…a twin brother." I added. That seemed to floor him. He was speechless; sounds remained trapped in the depths of him. Even the most brilliant of minds could be thrown asunder by the right subject; this was such a subject. I guess that's when his nervousness returned.

**Cody's POV:**

And that's when my nervousness returned. I thought finding my mother was a major milestone, but this was more than I could have ever imagined. Things started to mesh together at that point; the boy in my dream must have been my brother. I had nearly figured everything out…..nearly.

The involuntary action of breathing became completely voluntary as I struggled to keep up the inhale, exhale motion. Marion could read me; his firm hand rested on my shoulder, leading me into the living room. We both sat down on the couch. My mind was numb to the television that was turned on; the only subject that kept my interest at that moment was the fact that I had a brother…..a brother that I would meet in only a few minutes. I felt fingers run through my blonde hair gently, lovingly; I couldn't explain it, but the feeling served to settle my nerves slightly. It seemed like every time things got too hectic to handle for me, Marion could always take away some of the sting. Now slightly relieved, my eyes fell to the television. Ironically, after that point, the time that took so long passing, began to race. My mind had finally cleared; it was serene, but then….

A car door closed…..and then another. There were definitely two people out there. My heart sped up as I envisioned the duo walking up the few steps and up to the door. Was Marion as nervous as I was? Had he already seen my brother before?

We both heard the knock, soft knocking that I remembered from the previous night.

"Come on in, the door's open." This all sounded so familiar to me, but that didn't ease my state. We began walking towards the door, meeting them halfway. The heavy door opened a lot faster than I expected. Before I knew it, Carey had walked in. Unknowingly, a smile graced my lips, but the expression slowly faded when I faintly saw the body following her inside. How easily I was rendered speechless as I finally saw his face.

It sounded terribly cliché, but it really was like looking into a mirror. His face was my own. He looked nearly as nervous as I did. I tried to speak, but my brain could not form words. Fortunately, his brain seemed to work just fine.

"Dude….you look…..like me…." Maybe it didn't work as well as I thought it would, but he could at least say a few words. Then it was my turn, I needed to reply…..but I couldn't. For the life of me, I couldn't utter a sound; I needed an alternative. In a rush of emotions, I lunged at my twin, wrapping my arms around him in a long lost embrace. My head rested on his shoulder. I let my emotions pour out by means of the hug, but something was wrong. His hands lay limp by his sides; he didn't return the affection I craved. Doubt reared its ugly head, invading my thoughts. Maybe he didn't like me. What's to say that he wasn't perfectly happy being an only child? Maybe he hated the fact that I hugged him…..maybe…..

Tears stung my eyes as I began to pull away. Suddenly, I felt a pair of arms encircle me as well, filling the love deprived void in my soul. The tears I was holding back streamed, beyond my control. And if I wasn't mistaken, I heard a couple of sniffles from my brother as well. In a tacit agreement, we both released.

"Cody, I'd like you to meet Zack, your brother." Marion spoke.

"And Zack, meet Cody." Carey followed. His name rung a bell deep within me. I felt like I was complete.

"Well, there's no reason in making this reunion shorter than it has to be. What do you guys say we go and do something, just the four of us?" Carey proposed. Everybody seemed in favor, and so, in a rush, we all left the house together, and were soon off to wherever Carey had in mind…..if only I knew.

A/N: WRITER'S BLOCK! Ah, I thought it couldn't happen to me, but it has, hence, the chapter was so short. I don't exactly know where to go from here, but rest assured, I will update soon. I have a general idea, but…who knows.

Next Chapter Preview: Eh, I don't know. Probably a view of the gangs first day together as a family. And then, the real suspense starts.


	14. Chapter 14

Finally, a little time to do something productive. Sorry InNYC, I know I said that I would update last weekend, but things didn't work out as planned……obviously. Seems as though I got rid of the writer's block somewhat. And now, it seems as though I can update, and so I shall. Here we go!

Review: Hmm……oh yeah, last chapter consisted mainly of Zack and Cody's heartfelt reunion that I ended up getting stuck on. At the end, the 4 were on there way to who knows where…..I think.

**Moseby's POV:**

The four of us piled into Carey's navy blue vehicle as we prepared to take off. Zack and Cody occupied the back seat, as did I to the passenger side. The car was hot and humid due to the blazing sun rays that had worked themselves through the clear barrier we called a windshield. The amassed heat seemed to disintegrate when the windows descended. A cool breeze entered the car as we buckled our seat belts. Though uncomfortable and annoying as all seatbelts were, one could never be too careful. With a smile, Carey inserted her key into the willing ignition, and with a swift turn of the metallic object, the vehicle jolted to life, softly humming. We were off.

"So guys, where are we headed?" Carey goaded. I had no suggestions due to my congenital lack of creativity defect, and it looked as though a reticent Cody was stumped for ideas as well.

"How about the amusement park?" Zack cheered from the back seat.

"Guys?" she put Cody and I on the spot.

"Sure, why not, I love the amusement park." The child in me spoke up. Truly, I think I liked the aspect of spending time with the three surrounding people more than the prospect of being hurled through loops and heights. Cody seemed willing as well; our destination was set, en route to the fair.

"Cody, you're gonna love it! The park has all these crazy rides, and great food, and most of all, there are lots of cute girls." Zack informed his twin. From the rear view mirror, I could see Cody blushing from his brother's last statement; I silently chuckled. Slowly, the needle on the gas gauge descended as we strolled closer and closer to our imminent destination.

My stomach turned when the park came into view. Why weren't there laws on how high a ride could be constructed? Carey slowly maneuvered her way through the teeming parking lot. With a bit of searching, we came to what was perhaps the last empty parking space available. She seized the opportunity, claiming the spot in her name. After the car ceased motion, the four of us unloaded the quickly reheating vehicle, and began a trot towards the entrance. Carey casually walked; I matched her stride, Cody by my side. Zack defeated us all, outpacing us by about ten feet. The wooden ticket booth was our first stop. A heavy set, middle aged man dejectedly greeted us, following up to go for the kill, attempting to goad me into buying an all day pass instead of the restricting tickets. Of course, I caved, buying the heftily priced pass; I figured it'd be worth it. We proceeded to enter the amusement park. Magnificent it was; rides as far as the human eye could project, teeming with the smiling faces of young and old alike. The aroma of nearly every food stand in the park intertwined into one super-scent, invading my willing senses. I couldn't even begin to describe the joyous feeling running through me.

"So which one do we go on first?" I asked, scanning the rides in the vicinity.

"That one!" the two brothers exclaimed simultaneously. I would've smiled had I not seen just which contraption they had pointed out. Just like a kid to choose the biggest roller coaster in the whole park.

"I was hoping you wouldn't suggest that one." I moped.

"Aw, come on. It'll be fun." Carey laughed as pushed me towards my blight. As long as I had those three beside me, I'd be able to surmount any obstacle. I took a deep breath as we made our way to the entrance of the ride. A giddy blonde teenager served as the bouncer for the attraction; she reminded me of Maddie. After showing her the passes secured to our wrists, we were allowed passage. Each row of the snake like coaster held two people; we had to pair up. Cody inched his way towards me, which seemed a natural action. Carey wouldn't have it.

"Why don't we switch things up? Cody, you'll pair up with me, and Zack, you'll go with Marion." She suggested. Zack had no complaints; it was Cody that needed convincing. It seemed as though it was time for a little parental consoling.

"Don't worry; even though she's a mother, mom's pretty cool." Zack chuckled. Such simple words seemed to sway Cody's thinking.

We were securely strapped into our seats before the machine lurched into existence. And that's where everything went blank. So many loops and turns and zero gravity instances served to render my memory nearly useless. The only thing I remember is the speed at which the wind hit my face, and I also remember how loud I screamed, as though it would magically release me from my prison. As quickly as it started, the roller coaster drifted to a halt. The four of us regrouped in front of the ride. The rest of the day resembled our previous experience.

Time passed rapidly, but by the time I noticed it, the park was closing. The once sunlit sky had darkened, dusk had fallen. Reluctantly, we exited the park and walked towards the spot from which the car had been abandoned. Arranging ourselves in our former seating assignments, we boarded the car. As we exited the parking lot, I thought of a suggestion.

"Hey, why don't we stop by the hotel? I can show you your room." I offered. Those were the wonderful words that altered our route. The Tipton finally had an entertainment act, and Cody was finally reunited with his family; meeting Carey was truly a blessing granted by a higher power. I couldn't wipe off the resulting smile, but I didn't care to do such a thing. When the four of us finally reached to hotel, the west parking lot served as the place for the blue car.

Cody and I entered the hotel as usual; nothing was different for the two of us. But when Carey and Zack stepped through the glass doors, it was as though the duo had stepped into some surreal fantasy.

"It's more beautiful than I could have ever imagined." Carey complimented. Zack stood there, mouth agape and eyes sparkling.

"Well, I do my best as manager to keep this hotel in tip top Tipton shape." I joked. I led my followers over to the checkout desk. With a quick search through the hotel's database, I found a vacant room.

"Hmm…looks like you'll be staying on the 23rd floor. Room 2330." I concluded. Once more taking on the role of tour guide, my group followed me to the elevator, from which we rode up 23 floors. A swipe of the card key opened the door to their suite. It was only a one bedroom suite, but they seemed deeply grateful for it. Carey assigned the bedroom to her sons; she'd sleep on the pull-out couch that was situated in the middle of the room; she was selfless. I decided to get back to the checkout desk; I had some business to attend to. Leaving the three to fend for themselves, I rode the elevator back down to the lobby. I rummaged through a pile of paperwork as I stood at my post.

From the entrance, I heard Norman, the Tipton doorman, greet a newcomer. It seemed like business was getting better already.

"I need a room for a couple of days. Any available?" His voice sounded familiar. I looked up from my paperwork only to be met with familiar eyes as well. My heart descended after skipping several beats. It was him; it was Henry, the man who hurt Cody. What was he doing here? He probably needed a place to lay low. His look had changed; his facial hair was now nonexistent, and he was a bit thinner, but it was definitely the same guy. So badly I wanted to banish him from my establishment, but with absolutely no concrete evidence against him, I could do no such thing. I was defeated.

"I-I'll need to see some identification first." The man standing before me retrieved his wallet, proceeding to search through it. Several dollar bills were poking out; most likely drug money. He then slid the thin personal card over the counter. Something was wrong. He must have been going under an assumed name because it was not what I had expected. An annoying bell sounded from the elevator as Carey came back into the lobby, walking towards me. Her eyes fell to Cody's former owner, it was a good thing that she didn't know him as that. Her mouth fell open as her eyes widened. Something was wrong.

"K-Kurt! What are you doing here?" She nearly screamed.

A/N: Ah, there it is. It seems as though it was Kurt the whole time eh? I bet you all could see that from the beginning, if only I could've pulled it off better. Mr. Henry Lucas was only a distraction…..that I bet none of you fell for.lol This chapter was kind of rushed only because I needed a branch into the suspense story line, this chapter served as that. So stay tuned for suspense and action……and tragedy?????lol Also, please review!

Next chapter synopsis: The truth about Cody's captor.


	15. Chapter 15

Finally! Sorry about the long wait for updates…….that should all change soon. School's out…….and now I'm free. Finals really took it out of me, but now I'm back, so here we go with an update. Thanks to the members that review my story and put up with my never-ending procrastination. Here's your reward!

Previous Chapter Review: The gang had a little night on the town and went to the amusement park. Afterwards, Moseby led them to the Tipton and showed them the room that they'd be staying in. Then, Mr. "Henry Lucas" came in, and that's when we all find out that Cody's captor was Kurt, his biological father.

**Moseby's POV:**

With Carey's uttering of one simple word, my mind was sent spiraling down an abyss of pure confusion. The man I had come to despise was not who I thought he was initially. But this wasn't just some normal misunderstanding that seems to better itself progressively, no, this was worse. Kurt was the name of Carey's ex-husband; he was the same husband that she divorced because of his excessively abrasive personality. According to Carey, he had migrated to another state, and with that assumption, I had felt safe. Reality rushed to the scene. Cody's captor wasn't just some creepy guy with a mind that was mentally coiled; Cody's captor was his own father. Despite my panicked state, Carey stood there with only a minimal air of surprise. The two former lovers spoke.

"K-Kurt, what are you doing here?" Her loud voice was quaky.

"Carey, is that you? Wow, it's been so long since I've seen you." His voice was calm; it was as though his conscience was completely clear of any misdeeds. I inwardly prayed that Carey would not be tempted to reunite with a man that had caused her so much pain, years past. However, that night didn't seem to belong to me.

"Yeah, well I suppose 10 years does qualify as 'long'." Her mouth curved upwards into an oblivious smile. A chuckle came from the man only inches away.

"You always did have a good sense of humor." His voice was so relaxed; he was so carefree. I greedily watched as the two of them walked away from the check-in desk, and towards the middle of the lobby, seating themselves on the decorative chairs opposite the table. In order to once more position myself in hearing range of their conversation, I pretended to stack, and re-stack a set of magazines on a table near them. Due to my slothful pace, part of their banter had become transformed into a symphony of jumbled, undecipherable speech. I regained composure.

"You're not still drinking are you?" Her question struck a chord deep within Kurt.

"Carey, don't start." He pressed.

"That means yes obviously." Carey continued as she stood from where she sat, apparently fed up with Kurt's actions all over again. He stood up just as quickly, maneuvering her way fast enough to grab her arm, restraining her; my brow furrowed. Nothing of the sort would happen underneath the roof of my establishment. The approaching sound of my dress shoes meeting the floor permitted Kurt to release Carey's helpless arm. The two heads crooned my way.

"Hey there Carey. Care to introduce me to your friend here?" My interruption served satisfactorily.

"Oh, Marion! This is my ex-husband, Kurt." She replied, emphasizing the "ex" part. My stomach twisted as his strong hand was offered to me. My being wanted to take no part in the cordial greeting, but I extended my own hand to the man. After our little meeting, I finished Kurt's transfer into the Tipton Hotel, making sure to place him on a floor distanced far from Carey's own floor. He carelessly parted ways with Carey and I, which was ultimately perfect in my eyes. I could go on no longer without informing Carey of this terrible situation. I pondered a suitable location, finally deciding that her room on the twenty-third floor would suffice.

"Carey, could I possibly have a word with you in your suite?" My own voice was lax; I didn't want to cause her any stress until I actually orated the story.

"Sure, let's go." She dared not question my intentions, thankfully enough.

The shining metal doors of the elevator released slowly; we stepped inside. After pressing the dimly lit button reading, "23," we waited. The tranquil music that flowed out of the elevator speaker conflicted with the erratic state that plagued my mind. My face continued to show no signs of worry; I was going to be strong for Carey. With the familiar and annoying 'ding', we reached our destination. With a swipe of the card key, Carey and I gained entrance into the suite. The room had not changed since I had first left it. Zack and Cody were asleep on the couch, simultaneously using each other as pillows; Cody's head was against his brother's shoulder, as Zack's protective arm was placed around his twin's frame.

"Aww, that's so cute." Carey exclaimed. The scene barely registered in my thoughts before I led her to the bathroom. Gently, I shut the door behind us, as to not wake the slumbering boys in the main room. The subtle click of the door meeting the frame notified me that it was okay to begin.

"Okay, now what was so serious that you had to drag me all the way to the bathroom?" Upon her request, I began.

"Carey, I don't know how to say this……but, the man that you introduced me to was the same man that abducted Cody." My voice was a faint whisper. Carey's mouth opened, her stare was blank.

"You can't be serious! Kurt would never do something like that to his own child!" Her reaction surprised me; Carey actually defended the man who hurt her son.

"I'm sorry that this has to be the case, but Kurt hurt Cody. And now he's staying under the same roof as him." Her hands ran through her hair, stressfully.

"Oh my God, this can't be happening. I just got my son back……and now….." Tears at last fell from her sparkling eyes, a mother's reaction. I wished I had a plausible solution.

"With every inch of my being, I wanted to banish Kurt from this building, but with no concrete evidence, he's able to do what he wants. The best thing that we can do at this moment is to not let Kurt know that Cody was found. By absolutely no means can father see son, because if he finds Cody, it's almost guaranteed that he'll take him away from you……away from us, again." I tried to solace the crying woman, even going as far as to embrace her. Eventually, she began to calm down. We agreed that Cody would not be allowed out of our sights, with the fear that Kurt might discover him.

Carey wiped the tears from her face as we began to exit the bathroom. My eyes once more fell to the door. Something was different. The door that had once been secured to the frame was now inched open. I hoped that I had just closed it wrong. My hand nervously reached the silver doorknob and pulled the barrier away. A gasp escaped Carey's lips as my heart skipped, causing minor discomfort. On the floor, inches away, sat Cody. His body was trembling slightly and tears began to fall from his own eyes. The mystery was then solved. Cody had overheard the conversation between Carey and me. Cody now knew that his captor had returned……

A/N: There ya go! Chapter 15…… Now I know that this chapter wasn't terribly long, but an update is an update in my eyes.lol Looks like Cody heard the news…..the bad news. Only future updates hold the true outlook…..so, be patient, the story progresses from here. I hope to update a lot more often as to not leave you guys in suspense, but only time will tell. As for now, I hope you've enjoyed this update. As always, please review.


	16. Chapter 16

No use in apologizing.lol True, it's been nearly a month since the last update…..but that's what you get when you party way too hard. At the moment, I have a cool and calm mind state……so I'll type up another update…..and then more partying.

As usual, thanks to the people who review the story, it's always nice to get reviews. Thanks for the unwavering patience as well……so here we go!

Last Chapter Synopsis: Carey reunited with her ex-husband, and Cody's captor, Kurt. The former family was currently staying under one roof, which spells trouble for Cody. Carey and Marion come up with the plan to keep Cody out of his father's sight. But what's this…..Cody overhears the conversation between the two, causing his sense of security to hang in the balance.

Chapter 16……..

**Important!! POV is 3****rd**** person:**

A much shaken Cody sat at the entrance of the bathroom, taken aback by the words that had invaded his ears. His mind relapsed to the time where he was under his father's control. By no means did he want to venture back to that time. Cody remembered all the pain and sadness that he had once felt, and it translated into the many tears that plummeted down his cheeks.

Marion knew that all he had accomplished with the boy was threatened to be lost. All the time that he had spent comforting Cody was now going to waste as the boy warned of returning to his former state of insecurity. Carey was not to be left out. She had not been reunited with her son for a month, and now an obstacle presented itself that could possibly tear them apart once more. Tears also began to descend down her own face. Somebody had to be strong; somebody had to show the two weeping souls that they would get through this. And even though Marion showed signs of stress, he decided to step foot into the bravery role.

Shakily, he retrieved Cody from amongst the floor and secured the boy into his warm embrace. It was a feeling that Cody remembered all to well, and despite just hearing such horrendous news, the insecurity he began to feel slowly disintegrated. A free arm wrapped itself around Carey's shoulder, pulling her closer to the only source of comfort. Marion led the duo to the couch on which Zack lay. Cody in arms, Marion sat towards the end of the sofa; Carey snaked her way in between Moseby and Zack. She pulled her sleeping son close, finding that it brought her miniscule happiness. Cody continued to whimper in the strong hold of his protectors arms.

"Cody, I want you to listen to me closely…." Marion began. A slight nod against his chest informed him that he should continue.

"I know you're scared…..we're all scared for that matter. But I'm telling you that I will do all I can to keep Kurt away from you." He paused briefly to rub the boy's back in an effort to coax him out of crying; it would seem as though it was taking effect. Carey's hand ran through her son's hair, joining the battle to ease Cody's pain. It was then her turn to speak.

"What we need for you to do is to stay put. If Kurt happens to see you walking around the hotel, there's no telling what will happen. So, we need you to stay in the suite until we get things settled out…..can you do that for us buddy?" Her words sounded so serene. Cody lifted his head from my chest and his watery eyes met her own. Once more he nodded in understanding. Marion pondered telling Cody to not resort to hurting himself again, but he remembered that Carey had no knowledge on that subject. He assured himself that Cody knew better than to do such a thing, and with that assumption, he felt tranquil.

Marion stayed with the family until Cody had fallen back asleep. With a brief goodnight, he stood up. His eyes fell to Zack who had once been sleeping comfortably on the couch. For some reason, he looked uncomfortable. On his cheek existed the remnants of a single tear. Though it probably elicited no simple explanation, Marion liked to think that the tear was shed for his twin; a smile shyly grazed Marion's lips before he left the suite. He didn't feel comfortable leaving the family alone that night, ergo; he made a bedroom out of his tidy manager's office.

The next morning started just as the previous day had ended; a gloomy undertone plagued the Tipton's walls. If everything went according to plan, Kurt would never suspect that Cody was around. Just to be safe, Carey and Marion agreed to carry out our plans as though nothing weird had occurred; easier said than done.

As Marion stood at the check-in desk, he was met with the familiar chime of the elevator bell. A refreshed Carey waltzed out of its doors; she was playing the normal role rather well….perhaps a little too well. His smile served as a good morning. That particular day was scheduled as Carey's rehearsal day. If she was going to become the Tipton's sole entertainment act, she would undoubtedly have to practice. The anxious woman followed Marion closely as he led her into the ballroom. There were a few men on the stage; they would serve as her band.

"Oh man, I get my own band!" she cheered, clapping her hands rapidly. Seeing Carey so carefree somewhat eased Marion's apprehensiveness. She seemed so assured that the plan would work out; he decided he should assume the same. After a suitable introduction to her musical aides, he left them to rehearse; great things were expected.

As he reached his desk, he decided to call up to Carey's suite in order to check up on the boys. Marion dutifully waited for an answer after dialing the numbers. Eventually, the receiver picked up; he immediately recognized the voice.

"Hello?" Cody answered.

"Morning Cody, I was just checking up on you and Zack. Are you guys doing okay?" He was concerned. There was a bit of hesitation on the boy's behalf.

"Yeah, we're okay." Marion was glad to hear that. His mind began to wander to the previous night, but he shook the beguiling thoughts out of his head.

"That's great. Remember, if you need anything, you can either call me at my desk, or you can ask Zack to do it if he can. By the way, where is Zack?" A smile had nearly plastered itself to his face by that point.

"I'm not sure where Zack is. He left the suite a couple of minutes ago." Cody explained. Marion simply uttered a few understanding words, proceeding to hang up the phone. And then, it hit him; Cody was not allowed to leave the suite because Kurt might find him….but it was just as dangerous for Zack to leave as well. That was a concept of the plan that neither Marion nor Carey had thought about. Dropping a pile of papers from his hand, Marion rushed away from his desk and to the elevator. He desperately hoped that Zack had not gone far from the suite. However, he'd have to search each floor thoroughly and swiftly. His search started from the ground up.

An oblivious Zack reached the bottom floor. As soon as the doors opened before him, he was met with a person that seemed strangely familiar to him. With any more knowledge, Zack would've known that the man that stood in front of him was none other than his biological father Kurt. The two exchanged glances before somebody spoke.

"Z-Zack, is that you?" Kurt asked. He began to become anxious. The boy gave him a questioning look.

"Yeah, I'm Zack, but who are you?" Both were caught off guard.

"You don't remember me? It's me, it's daddy" his tone was soft; he didn't want to frighten his son.

"D-Dad?" Faint memories began to return to Zack. This man's words sounded sincere; Zack gave. Naivety got the best of the young boy as he rushed into his father's arms. Kurt laughed as he picked him up into his arms.

"Dude, this is so awesome. First I find my brother, and now I find my dad!" Zack exclaimed. His son's words rang loudly in his head.

"You found your brother?" Things slowly began to fall into place in Kurt's mind.

"Yeah, Marion found Cody and brought him to me and mom." Zack had no idea that he was speaking such taboo. He figured it'd harm no one to tell his father about their situation.

"Marion….the hotel manager guy?" Zack nodded. It all made sense to Kurt at that point. It was the manager that had found Cody. He was the one who had stolen his son from him. And then he realized that his secret must've also been exposed. If Marion had found Cody, he obviously must have been able to decipher his situation. He played it calm.

"Hey, buddy, could you take me to see Cody? I haven't seen him in so long." he goaded.

"Yeah, come on, I'll take you to the suite." And with those words, the two began to ascend to the 23rd floor, en route to Carey's suite.

Unluckily for Cody, Marion had only reached the tenth floor in his search for Zack. The nervous boy sat on the couch in his suite, busying himself with watching television. He heard a knock at the door. Carey had instructed him not to open the door for anybody that he didn't know.

"Who is it?" Cody called from one side of the door.

"Dude, open up, it's me Zack!" he answered as he knocked a few more times; excitement had gotten the best of him. Cody hesitantly got up from the couch and unlocked the door. Slowly he turned the knob, allowing Zack access to the room.

"Cody, you're never going to guess who I found!" Zack's smile was grand. Without even knowing who it was, Cody had a bad feeling about the situation.

And then, to confirm his suspicions, Cody watched in terror as his father walked in behind his twin. He couldn't breathe as he saw his former captor approach ever so closer. Kurt donned a sinister smile.

"Daddy's back….."

A/N: What's that, the plan didn't work. This doesn't look good for the family. It feels good to finally be able to update….it was long overdue. But um….what shall happen next? You'll all just have to wait until the next chapter. So I say again, please be patient….and um…please review. Thanks.

Oh yeah, and also, there may be some parts in the story that are in first person because I kept forgetting to write in 3rd person. After writing 15 chapters in such, it's kind of hard to change…..so don't worry about the mistakes….I'm usually too lazy to correct them.lol

edit It has been brought to my attention that Zack not being told to avoid his father is farfetched……but there's an explanation…..sometimes, when you write things, you just have to stretch the credibility of certain things to set other things in motion. This was such a case.lol


	17. Chapter 17

Whew, it's been a long time guys……I'm glad you haven't deserted the story.lol I'd like to thank imjustagirl0077 and InNYC for reminding me about the story. Guys, if I don't update for over a month or so…..feel free to PM me and tell me to do so. I tend to have a very bad memory, so forgetting about the story is something that is definitely possible for me……but now I remember, and so I shall update.

Last Chapter Synopsis: The "elaborate" plan that Marion and Carey thought up didn't work and Kurt has finally found Cody. Unfortunately, Marion is over 10 floors away from him……

Chapter 17

**Cody's POV:**

Despite hearing my brother's comforting voice, I took no solace in the situation at hand. Slowly, I turned the door knob and let Zack in; he seemed overly excited.

"Cody, you're never going to guess who I found!" The terrible feeling in my stomach became greater. I didn't know who he had found, but for some reason, I was very uneasy. The person in question followed Zack into the suite and he caught my gaze. My eyes widened as my stomach plummeted within me. His appearance had changed somewhat, but I immediately recognized him. It was my father. It was the man that caused me so much pain and suffering for so long. It was the man I despised. It was the man that…..I assumed I had escaped from for good.

"Daddy's back…" The man's lips had curved into a devious grin. I couldn't breathe; the repeated action of inhaling and exhaling had escaped my knowledge. I commanded myself to move, but that was much easier said than done. Slowly, my legs allowed the motion of backpedaling as I distanced myself from my dad. In such a mental haste, I didn't care to be precautious of the myriad of obstacles in the room. I winced as I stepped on something. Whatever object I had treaded on lost traction, causing me to fall backwards. Labored breaths readily escaped from my mouth as I lay prostrate before Kurt.

"Cody…what's wrong with you? It's just dad." Zack seemed perplexed by my reaction, but his questioning words went unheeded as I continued to stare at my steadily approaching father. Adrenaline was rushing throughout my body as the amount of oxygen rushing to my brain slowly decreased. Dizziness plagued my being; fainting seemed to be the only possible outcome. I felt so helpless lying there. But I wasn't going to just wait for him to capture me without doing something; I decided to fight back. However, there was a vast size difference between us, and Kurt was clearly physically stronger; there had to be some way to counter him. I had no time to think as Kurt sped up his journey towards me.

"Don't come any closer!" I warned as if I could actually retaliate. My arms struggled to pull my body across the cold floor. In the process, my hand landed on the same object that had caused my fall moments earlier. Despite my touch sense being aggravated, the object's true shape remained unknown to my pressurized brain. Regardless of what it was, I figured it'd be a suitable weapon to use at that exact instant. Mightily, I flung the foreign item towards my father. Its route ended, connecting with a dull, almost bone-shattering thud right above Kurt's eye. As he recoiled, I realized the mistake of my actions. I may have bought myself a few more agonizing seconds out of his grip, but my error only served to make my attacker angrier. His teeth clenched tightly as he closed in. Mentally, I screamed 'help', hoping that somehow my plea would be heard. For a split second, I thought I heard Marion's comforting voice telling me that it'd be okay. Unfortunately, this did not bring me solace as Kurt stood inches away. All of the miniscule hope that I harbored disappeared; I concluded that there was no hope. And I cried. Like many times before, the absence of security rendered me helpless, and a torrent of tears filled that now empty void in my heart.

I shut my eyes as I prepared to be abducted, my father's hands nearly enveloped with me. However, instead of the obvious result, my body remained free from his grasp. Apprehensively, I opened my eyes to view my brother standing in between me and our father, arms extended into a pseudo barrier. Though he had no knowledge of the scene unfolding before him, he seemed to recognize my petition for help. I admired him more in that moment than ever before.

"I don't know what's going on here…but if Cody doesn't want to see you, then he doesn't have to!" his voice was sharp. Kurt had already surpassed the level of annoyance; he skipped directly to being irate.

"You don't ever talk to your father like that…ever!" with his last word, I witnessed his hand shrink back, away from his core, only to swiftly return, smacking my brother rigidly across the face. It was almost as if Zack had experienced zero-gravity as his feet rose beyond the ground before he too fell beside me. More tears fell; the one source of aid that had presented itself had been so easily thwarted. I looked over at my twin, who was clutching his left cheek desperately. He had been struck, and yet, he didn't cry as I did, instead, his hand reached out and grabbed my own. The warmth that emanated from his palm radiated throughout my body. His bravery greatly exceeded my own, and I suddenly felt as though I could be strong like my brother.

With great emphasis, I stood up, pulling Zack along with me. There we stood together, opposite a seething man. Though in my mind I craved bravery, my body was as nervous as it had ever been before. My legs were quivering, knees threatening to buckle, stomach turning, but I remained standing. Kurt seemed to get even more frustrated seeing the two of us stand up for ourselves. Once more, his hand slowly crept backwards; I tensed. Before I witnessed him swing his arm towards me, I once more closed my eyes.

Instead of feeling the sharp pain of his blow, I heard a struggle, the scuffling of feet across the floor. Suddenly, I felt an arm wrap around me. But it didn't feel malicious; rather, it was almost like the embraces that came from…

"Marion!" It seemed as though he had answered my call for help. With one arm around me, and the other around Zack, he stood as our bodyguard. Just seeing him show up made me feel as though Kurt had never shown up, of course, the crazed man by the door said otherwise.

"Kurt, I suggest you leave quietly before I alert the authorities. If you lay another hand on somebody, you'll only be in more trouble." Marion's voice was calm. Surprisingly, Kurt didn't look shaken.

"Go ahead and call the cops. I wonder how they'll react when I tell them that you abducted my son. That is a felony if I'm not mistaken. Give it up buddy; I'm one step ahead of you." A smirk graced his lips. Technically, Kurt was right. Despite his intentions, Marion had taken me from my father's custody without consent. It would seem as though he had his plan worked out.

"Well I…uh…and you…" Unfortunately, Marion had no counterattack. A sinister laugh erupted from my father.

"If anything, I should be the one calling the cops. Even if they did take Cody away from me, he'd go right back to the foster home. And with abduction on your criminal record, you wouldn't even come close to getting him back."

"That's where I come in." I looked towards the doorway to find my mother walking in.

"Carey!" Kurt and Marion said in perfect unison. It suddenly became a four on one battle as my mom stood beside Marion, completing the family.

"Kurt, I'm begging you, please stop all of this." Quivering, she spoke. We all knew her words went unheeded.

A sound in the distance drew my hearing. As it neared our location, I could make out what it was. The blaring sirens of several police squad cars became audible. The once, stone expression on my father's face turned to horror.

"Carey…you didn't…you called the police?" He began to crumble.

"Actually, I did." Marion's plan went into action at that point.

"B-but, you'll go to jail when they find out what you did." Babbling was all Kurt could do at that moment.

"Is that so? Okay, show me your proof. Show me the evidence you have against me…surely you have some evidence to show the officers." He began. My father was silent; he didn't know what to do; he was cornered.

"Oh, you don't have any proof? Well, that's okay, I'm sure the police will take your word for it. They shouldn't have any problem believing a man with such an extensive criminal background as you. Who knows, maybe they'll even overlook all of the abuse and neglect that you put Cody through. And let's not forget what happened in this very suite only moments ago…we now have witnesses." Marion had it all worked out. My faith in him increased to a point that I thought impossible. It was then Marion's turn to smile.

"Sure I let you believe that you had an argument, but that was only to buy myself a little more time. I knew the police would be here any second, and they came at the right time. It's over Kurt; your days as a free man have come to an end. Wait, what was it that you said to me earlier? Ah yes, give it up buddy; I'm one step ahead of you." He was my hero. Kurt was completely devastated, mouth agape.

"So you think you've got everything worked out huh? Well, I'll put a stop to this; I'll put a stop to everything!" Four pairs of eyes remained glued to my father's body as he put his arm under his shirt, proceeding to reveal the handgun that had been hidden within. Said arm extended until we were all staring at the barrel of the gun.

A/N: Whew, finally, an update. Moseby's a hero! Oh yeah, I just wanted to point out to you guys that you should remember what genre this story is...so be prepared.lol Once more, I just want to say thanks to all of my faithful readers…it's been a long journey so far…but you've all maintained. As always, I ask that you review and tell me what you thought of this update.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Suite Life series. This is purely a work of fiction.

**Moseby's POV:**

It's amazing how quickly we became outnumbered. Physically, we had the advantage, but we were literally outgunned. There we stood four helpless, defenseless souls across from one solitary, seething man, and his powerful, foreboding pistol.

Tauntingly, he swayed the omnipotent handgun, never focusing on one target, rather, flaunting it in a manner that left not one of us feeling safe. I tried to play hero, but my efforts would only go so far against cold steel.

"Kurt, stop! Think about what you're doing!" Carey pleaded. I was certain that her words fell on deaf ears.

The sirens in the background became increasingly loud until the whirs finally peaked, signaling their arrival at the front of the hotel. Kurt was seemingly out of time, but that's what scared me the most.

"I-I can't go back to prison!" Kurt stated, emphatically.  
My heart was operating at maximum capacity. My safety was the last thing that I was thinking of. The well-being of the three people behind me sat at the forefront of my agenda. Surely, the police were speedily making their way towards the suite, but I wasn't sure if their efforts were going to be fast enough.  
Kurt's hand was shaky as he took a step towards all of us, gun still pointed with seemingly marksman caliber aim. I immediately came up with a plan. The plan was rugged, and easily put every single person in the room in danger, but it was all that I could come up with. I ran through the idea in my head. Once Kurt was within arms distance, I'd lunge at him suddenly, intent on grabbing his gun. He'd be utterly unprepared for my attempt, therefore increasing my success rate of disarming the madman. Yeah, my plan was foolproof, unless, of course, it wasn't.

Kurt took another step towards us, but it wasn't quite close enough for me to strike. My palms were sweating, legs quivering as my adrenaline surged. As if I were a cobra ready to strike, I subtly leaned back on my heels, trying to allow as much momentum as I possibly could. Finally, he took that fateful step towards me that brought him within striking distance. It was now or never!

I quickly shifted my weight to the balls of my feet and tried to lunge. There was a sudden pulling on my suit jacket that halted every bit of momentum that I had acquired. I turned around to see Cody grabbing the cloth that held me back. His eyes bore into my own as if telling me to stop. Did he somehow know what I was intending to do? Surely I hadn't telegraphed it to that extent. Perhaps, it was pure chance that he stopped me, with no other reason than to use me as the shield I willingly had been since I met him. It turned out to be the right choice.  
I sharply winced as the partially opened door to the suite was nearly taken off of its hinges. In a flash, five decorated officers filed into the room, automatic weapons drawn and fixated on Kurt.  
"Sir, drop the gun now!" The officer's face was stern and square. Lasers hauntingly danced over Kurt's body.

Extending my arms out, I retreated, willing Cody, Carey, and Zack to follow my lead. Despite the fact that the police had shown up, I still did not feel as though we were safe. If anything, I felt like he was more liable to shoot now that pressure had been applied.

"Sir, if you don't put the gun down, we will be FORCED to act as we see necessary!" They gave him the chance to surrender peacefully, but by the looks of it, Kurt didn't share the same views.

"I can't go back to jail! I-Cody...I'm so sorry buddy." Kurt surprised us all with his speech. It sounded like repentance, moreover, the repentance one would utter while they were on their deathbed, but Kurt-wait, no, it couldn't be! Everyone's eyes remained glued on Kurt as he turned the gun towards himself, placing it snugly within the confines of his mouth. Such a brash decision.

"Sir, no!" The officer screamed. Hastily, I turned around and covered Cody's innocent eyes with a strong hand. Carey, in turn, provided Zack with the same treatment. Both boys raised their hands to their ears as they prepared for the inevitable. Set in his decision, Kurt pulled the trigger. Officers began yelling, Carey's scream was dominating and shrill. My eyes instinctively shut as I heard the click of the hammer and my body tensed. Something was different though, there was no ear splitting bang from the pistol after the trigger was pulled. There was no pungent smell of gunpowder burning, no light clanging on the ground as a gun shell casing impacted. I opened my eyes to see Kurt quaking as he stood with the gun still in his mouth; the pistol had misfired.

Before he had the chance to even think about trying again, the commanding officer pounced on him, knocking both Kurt and the gun to the hard tile floor. The gun landed with a dull and heavy thud before sliding a small distance over the smooth surface. Mightily, the duo struggled in a litany of guttural grunts before the other officers stepped in to assist. I uncovered Cody's eyes; I wanted him to have the privilege of seeing the man who caused him so much pain, being subdued. Roughly, Kurt was pulled to his feet and led out of the room. Defeated physically and emotionally, the villainous male gave us one more passing glance. I would not waver as my expression conveyed all of my anger.

Kurt now in custody, a firm thought came to me. It was all over. With testimonials from the four of us, especially Cody, we'd surely be able to send Kurt to prison for consecutive life sentences. He could not escape the harsh reality we set for him. I passed the thought.  
I faced the three reeling victims behind me and sighed. Cody was the first to react, barreling into me before wrapping his hands around my torso in a familiar embrace. Carey and Zack followed suit, and we became one, solid, affectionate entity. I felt warm. We hugged in silence, and even after we let go, we were still connected.

"It's over." I felt immensely relieved to utter those words. It was as if an incredible amount of weight had been mightily lifted from my shoulders.  
Suite 2330 would eternally stand as a symbol of strength, reminiscent of the bond that the four of us in the room shared. The battle was won, and the war was over. I knew there would be battle wounds, and there'd be scars that would take time to fade, but together we could tackle any obstacle.

I could get used to this. I could get used to seeing a beautiful woman like Carey every day. I could get used to humoring and taming her, or our, mischievous son Zack. I could get used to further connecting with Cody, who had taught me so many new things so quickly. Yeah, I could get used to this. Living the sweet life.

**A/N**: Why yes, yes I did come back 4 years later to finish this story. I don't even watch the show anymore, and I'm not even sure if they make new episodes. I couldn't help it...I'd forget about the story for months at a time and then out of nowhere, I'd remember that I left it My original ending was going to be slightly different I believe, but I decided to throw this chapter together rather quickly, just so I could shut the book on this I can finally say that the story is complete. Hate to end it in such a corny fashion, but I just wanted it finished!  
I'd like to thank all of my readers...all of them...even those that never A big thanks goes to those faithful reviewers and a big thanks to even the one time reviewers. This one is done! BTW, if anyone still visits the Suite Life section, and stumbles across this story, please review!


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